The Devils Triangle
by fresh pickled toad
Summary: A funny and sexy little tale about the two great loves of Ginny Weasley's life Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. They're both wonderful, both flawed. How did this happen? Who will she choose?
1. Default Chapter

The Devils Triangle  
Prologue- Whiskey & Woman

Draco Malfoy cursed.

"Why didn't I become a professional Quidditch player? Life would have been so much simpler. I'm only twenty-six, and it's not too late; maybe I'll give it a go."

He had been signing and affixing his seal to dozens of documents for the better part of the day, an awful way to end the work week. Just when he seemed to reach the bottom of the pile, his secretary Quigley would produce yet another stack for him to sign. He could have dealt with the documents magically, of course, but when one is giving away (pissing away, really) millions of Galleons, it was best to review each document carefully before signing it. Draco was in the process of completing a deal to build the Narcissa Black Malfoy Wing onto St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries; the wing would specialize in finding cures for damage done to people by Dark Magical curses.

"I suppose the hospital will throw a ball in my honor for this," Draco grumbled.

"Yes sir," Quigley replied.

"Five million Galleons and I get an over-cooked chicken dinner and the honor of having all the buck-tooth, flat-chested daughters of every Ministry official thrown at my feet."

"Yes sir." Quigley could get more mileage out of those two words than most people could get from a million word vocabulary. Just by changing his tone and inflection, he could let Draco know his true feelings about most any topic; his feelings weren't always polite, nor were they subservient. Draco liked him immensely.

"But I suppose one has to keep up appearances: be philanthropic, pretend one gives a crap."

"Yes sir," Quigley said handing him another parchment.

"Mr. Malfoy…" The shrill voice of Draco's receptionist filled the room. "…there's an Auror from the Ministry here to see you."

"Thank you, Estella. Tell him that the semi-annual pillaging of our accounts isn't due for another six weeks. Send him away!" Draco fumed. The ministry still felt it was their prerogative to investigate Malfoy holdings whenever they pleased. This infuriated Draco.

"Sir, it's Harry Potter. He says the business is personal." Draco made a note to himself to fire the woman, if only because of the awe with which she spoke the git's name.

"I have no personal business with Potter. I repeat, send him away!" Draco snapped.

Draco sat back in his chair and held up his hand, spreading his fingers. "Five seconds…" he said to Quigley, with a smirk.

As if on cue, the heavy wooden door to Draco's office burst open with a pop and a bang. Harry Potter strode into Draco's office, his robes billowing around him dramatically and the irritation clearly evident in his face.

"Wandless magic's a bit showy for everyday use, isn't it Potter?" Draco drawled.

"I know how much you appreciate an entrance. I wouldn't want to disappoint," Harry replied dryly.

Without pausing, Harry had ensconced himself into one of the guest chairs in front of Malfoy's desk and rested both feet up on his desk, crossing his ankles comfortably. Over the years, both men had become experts at pushing the other's buttons.

"This desk has been in the Malfoy estate since before Merlin's time… get your filthy ready-to-wear shoes off it! What do you want?" Draco retorted, nodding his head to Quigley to dismiss him.

Harry complied, and removed his feet from the desk. "I've come to ask if you want to get a drink or two?" Harry asked casually, as though he did it everyday.

This was not what Draco expected to hear; if Harry wanted an extended conversation over alcohol, Draco knew very well what the topic of discussion would be and he knew it would take substantially more than two drinks. "You're not my type, Potter. I like my dates leggier and much more intelligent then yourself," Draco evaded.

"Don't you ever wonder why, Malfoy? I thought maybe we could figure it out," Harry asked thoughtfully, not rising to Draco's bait.

"Why what?" Draco asked, knowing the answer.

"Why neither of us is with her. How did we both lose her?"

"It's been five years! Shouldn't you be over it by now?" Draco asked, knowing first hand that Ginny Weasley was not a woman one 'got over'.

Harry chuckled. "You're not over it. We have enough friends and acquaintances in common for me to know that. It's been almost two years for you, but you're the one who walked away. No one knows why, not even Ginny. I want to know why."

"I'm running an empire here Potter! I can't skip out in the middle of the day to go get pissed as easily as a civil servant such as yourself." Draco knew he would be going with him. This conversation was long over due. There were some questions Draco wanted answered himself.

"She was my best friend! She was the only real friend you ever had! I would think you'd want to at least salvage that." Harry paused, and glared into Draco's impassive face. "But then, Slytherins don't need friends, do they? Fine, I'll be going."

"Wait," Draco hissed. "Quigley!" he called. Quigley entered immediately, as though he'd been listening on the other side of the door; he probably had been.

"Yes sir?"

"Quigley, cancel my appointments for the rest of the day."

"Yes sir."

"And Quigley, contact Astrid. Tell her I'll be unable to dine with her this evening, but I'll see her next week," Draco said, smirking.

A look of reluctance flashed over Quigley's face briefly. "Miss Astrid will not be pleased, sir."

"I know. That's precisely why I'm giving the task to you!" Draco's smirk turned into a grin.

"Yes sir."

"She has a soft spot for you Quigley. She thinks you're sexy, in an 'old-enough-to-be-her-grandfather' way, of course.

"Yes sir." The subtext here was definitely 'Sod off, Mr. Malfoy'.

"Tell her I'm getting pissed with Potter, if you like; she'll know what's going on. On second thought, don't say that; if she knows I'm getting pissed, she'll show up at the penthouse tomorrow at dawn just to torture my hangover."

"Yes sir," Quigley said, a little too brightly for Draco's comfort.

"Still robbing the cradle with that little hellion, are you Malfoy? Is that why you left Gin, because Astrid finally outgrew her diapers?" Harry jeered.

"Let's go," Draco said sternly. Harry stalked past him out the office door, with Draco following.

"There's not enough whiskey in the world for this little talk," Draco drawled.

Sometime later, Harry and Draco found themselves at a secluded table in the back of The Leaky Cauldron. They'd spent the prior hour chatting easily about many topics as they drank through their bottle of fire whiskey. They honestly disliked one another, but years of being mutual friends with Ginny had taught them how to pretend to be civil in public. Either of them would do anything for Ginny. Eventually the whiskey did its job and the conversation wound around to the reason that they were there: Ginny Weasley.

"How is she?" Draco finally asked. He'd only caught distant glimpses of her over the past two years.

"I don't know. Ron says she's fine, but he's never had much of a clue about reading his sister. She avoids me as much as she can. Even at Weasley family gatherings she never seems to be in the same room as me," Harry lied, but it suited his purposes.

"Why would she do that? I thought the two of you had salvaged a friendship," Draco asked in a mildly accusing tone.

"We haven't been friends, not since you left," Harry threw the accusation back at him.

"What do I have to do with it?"

"Well, there tends to be two different scenarios. The first one is when we meet and she's not involved with someone. Well…" Harry wasn't sure how much truth he wanted to tell. "Well, we tend to fall into bed together. Sex was never one of our problems," Harry bit back a grin as he watched Draco grimace. "It never lasts, a few days maybe. Then I have to go back to work and she remembers why she can't be with me. She goes away and kicks herself for the next few months for being weak. At least that's what I think is happening. The second scenario is when she is seeing someone; eventually she has to bring him around to meet the Weasleys, so eventually he's going to meet me. He usually bolts once he realizes I'm still around."

"Potter! What are you doing to these blokes?"

"I shake their hands and say 'How do you do?' That's all, I swear. But everyone knows what we did together. Hell, we're a whole chapter in the history books. We're 'the pure love that defeated the greatest evil ever known.' We're 'the soul mates bound together for all eternity.' Must be true, after all, history books don't lie. I have the same problem actually. It's easy to find a woman to bed once or twice, but damned near impossible to find one who'll risk her heart when the history books clearly state that mine has already been claimed."

"Poor Harry Potter," Draco sneered.

"Draco, you're the only bloke that was never bothered by all that," Harry said quietly, downing another shot.

Draco blanched and downed another shot himself. "I wouldn't say that. I'd say it just took me longer to wise up, before I bolted," Draco groaned to himself, thinking that he must be very drunk indeed to say that to Harry Potter.

"No! Don't tell me that!" Harry said miserably. "You're shattering my image of you, Malfoy!"

"It was perfect you know, we had three perfect years. Then I began letting myself imagine forever with her. I began imagining our children, our little 'pink' children I think you called them once," Draco said with a chuckle. "But there was always this voice that nagged at me. It kept saying that someday you'd wise up, get a real job and she'd go running back to you. That's all it would take you know. She wants to raise a family and know that her children's father isn't out trying to get himself killed everyday."

Harry laughed. "We're a couple of idiots, Malfoy. She's always told me we're more alike than we'd like to believe; I'm beginning to think that she's been right. When Ginny and I were together the two of you had this unbreakable bond, and I hated sharing her with you. I had a voice nagging in my head too, which said she was only with me for 'the cause', because of the powerful magic that we created together. Once Voldemort had been destroyed, the voice kept at me, saying she wouldn't be mine much longer. I think I became an Auror somewhat to push her away. She did her best to support me until the first time I disappeared for two weeks on a mission. When I came back I could see it in her eyes…she couldn't take it, and she left me soon after that. I was about to reconsider… my career and do anything to get her back when I heard she'd gone running to you."

"You're a fucking idiot, Potter!"

"Right back at ya, mate!"

"So, we would both just give her up, rather than risk losing her to the other? Do we hate each other that much?" Draco had never felt more stupid in his life.

"I'd say we do, yeah," Harry said pragmatically.

"Interesting," Draco pondered with an intensity reserved only for the very drunk. "Hate triumphed over love. I guess the Dark Lord won after all."

Neither of them had noticed the tall ginger haired man approaching the table. He slid into a seat next to them with a mischievous grin. "Ahhh… behold the carnage that is my sister's love life!"

"Sod off, Weasley!" Malfoy groaned in disgust.

"Ron! How'd you know we were here?" slurred Harry.

"Well let me see. I'm in Quality Quidditch Supplies perusing this year's broom selection, when suddenly all the pretty little sales witches start squealing about how the richest man in the wizarding world and Harry Bleedin' Potter are getting pissed together down the street. 'Oh, they're both sooo dreamy; I could just eat them with a spoon.' Enough to make a bloke hurl his lunch!"

"Why did you feel the need to join us, Weasley?" said Draco, clearly inferring that he wanted the man to leave quickly.

"I'm here to protect my sister's interests, Malfoy! Judging by your miserable expressions and very inebriated states, I assume that's what this pity party is about, right? Am I wrong, or did you two suddenly decide to be mates?"

Harry and Malfoy both glared at him, but said nothing. Ron took their silence as an indication that he was indeed correct and continued.

"What the two of you do is your business, but I'm going to ask you to move somewhere more private. Soon you're going to have Rita Skeeter buzzing around taking notes for tomorrow's edition of The Daily Prophet. My sister doesn't need that, and she doesn't deserve that from you two."

Malfoy looked around for the first time since they entered the pub. "The Weasel may have a point; we do seem to be drawing a crowd," he conceded. "My flat is nearby. Let's go there, we were just getting to the good bits."

"Lead on," Harry agreed.

Malfoy's flat was the penthouse in a nearby Muggle high-rise. It was dark when they entered and Draco conjured a fire in the hearth which provided a soft glow over the room. Harry plopped into a chair in front of the fire, while Draco retrieved an unopened bottle of fire whiskey and glasses from his bar.

"Well gents, I'll leave you to it," Ron said, as he prepared to apparate.

"Don't let us keep you," Malfoy grumbled.

"Stay for a drink at least, mate," Harry pleaded.

"No way, I want nothing to do with this. I'm going home to kiss my wife and babies; I'm going to thank the Gods that I'm not one of you two sots. Then I'm going to floo my sister and warn her about this détente that's taking place, so she'll be prepared for whatever hair-brained plan you two come up with," Ron paused, looking down piteously onto his best friend and his best enemy, already hard at work on their second bottle of whiskey. "You know, back in school I used to worry about you two trampling over Ginny's heart. I was right to worry, since I've wanted to kill both of you at various times over the years. But at least it's heartwarming to see that you've both done as much damage to yourselves as you have to her," Ron disapparated.


	2. Chapter One: Saving Harry Potter

The Devils Triangle

Chapter One: Saving Harry Potter

Harry Potter had returned to the home of his Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon after his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. To say that his school year had ended badly would be an understatement. The entire school year in fact had been a miserable disaster; culminating in the events that left Harry in his current state. That state being, well, not good.

Harry spent his days and nights in precisely the same manner: lying on his bed staring at either the ceiling or the wall. He left his bed only to care for his owl, Hedwig, use the loo, or write a letter once every three days. The letter he sent was always the same; it was to the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, addressed to no one in particular. The letter always consisted of the same, two words: '_I'M FINE,_' written in the same careless hand every three days. Mad-Eye Moody had made it clear that if they didn't hear from him at least every three days they would send someone after him. Harry wanted no one coming after him; wanted no one coming to Surrey for him at all.

Harry just wanted to be _LEFT ALONE! _

Harry would bellow his wish to be left alone to the terrified Dursleys' any time they came near. He would occasionally eat the food that his Aunt slipped through the door slot when she thought he was asleep. The Dursleys had been warned not to bother Harry by Mad-Eye before they brought him home for the summer; therefore they were too terrified to even complain about the stench beginning to emanate from Harry's room. Harry's hygiene habits had deteriorated along with his disposition.

Occasionally a post owl would arrive with a letter from one of his mates. Ron would write him about Quidditch and de-gnoming the garden. Hermione would give him tips about his homework assignments for next term. They both begged him to write back to them and tell them how he was. He'd even received letters from Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood asking after him. Harry never replied to anyone.

It was well past midnight, on the night of the full moon in July. The moonlight cast a silver gloom over Harry's bedroom. Harry lay in bed seeming to sleep, but he wouldn't allow himself to sleep, wouldn't allow his mind to rest. If he were awake he could control his thoughts; he could _force_ his mind to remain blank and numb. Once sleep took him, all control over his thoughts and emotions was gone also. He couldn't allow that, his dreams were too vivid and too painful to relive. Visions of Sirius falling behind the veil, his friends being attacked, left injured and bleeding… It was better to remain awake.

Harry heard a pop. He was sure it was the sound of someone Apparating into the room. He knew the wards over his Uncle's home on Privet Drive would limit who could Apparate into it. He was fairly certain that it must be an Order member in his room. Harry reached for his wand, just to be safe and turned on the light.

"Show yourself! I know someone's here." Harry was ready to begin bellowing at the unknown person, when he heard a rustling noise and suddenly the figure of Molly Weasley appeared from under an invisibility cloak in the corner of his room.

"Hello, Harry dear," Molly said softly as she approached the bed and engulfed Harry in a warm, tight hug.

"Mrs. Weasley!" Harry was at a loss for words. Harry would not bellow at Mrs. Weasley. Not only was she the closest thing he had to a mother that he could remember, but also if he did yell at her there was a good chance that she would box his ears.

Harry melted into her embrace, he couldn't stop himself; Mrs. Weasley was one of the few people who'd ever hugged him. Hermione would hug him occasionally in greeting, but that wasn't the same. Harry was rarely touched by anyone, ever. Harry felt his chest constrict and a wave of emotion threatened to overpower him. He'd just spent weeks forcing himself not to feel, if he didn't resist now he would fall apart. Harry pushed back on the feelings menacing him and he stiffened in Mrs. Weasley's arms.

Mrs. Weasley pulled away from Harry and met his cold gaze. Harry thought he saw a look of fear, quickly replaced by anger cross Mrs. Weasley's face.

"Harry, what has he done to you? I have to go. Goodbye dear." Mrs. Weasley stood, then Disapparated away. Harry was stunned by her sudden departure; he hadn't meant to offend her. _At least she went away, its better this way. _ Harry flopped back on his bed and resumed his task of counting the cracks in the ceiling plaster. His mind was blank again.

The next day dawned bright and warm, not that Harry noticed in his room with the shade drawn. Harry heard a tapping at the window. Actually it more of a 'thunk, thunk'. Hedwig flapped her wings and looked quite annoyed in her cage. Harry opened the window and Ron's owl Pigwigeon flew in and bounced around the room for several minutes before Harry grabbed him and was able to remove the letter attached to his leg.

"Thanks, Pig." Harry gave Pig some owl treats and water before Pig bounced back out the window and flew away. Harry opened the letter; the handwriting wasn't Ron's and the letter was much too long to be from Ron.

"It's from Ginny." Harry was surprised, he couldn't remember Ron's younger sister ever writing to him before.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this letter finds you "FINE!"_

_Mum's in a right state! She returned this morning from her over-night guard duty over Privet Drive. Harry, she's not been this upset since Percy abandoned us. She was raving about "that old fool Dumbledore" and how it was a good thing that he never had any children of his own. She was breathing fire! She was more terrifying than I've ever seen her._

_She's gone to Hogwarts and she told me she won't come back until Professor Dumbledore agrees to let you come home to us. He doesn't stand a chance; you'll be at the Burrow for your birthday, I'm sure of it! _

_Harry, Mum didn't say much about how you were before she left; but she told me that she hadn't seen eyes that empty and lost since she looked into mine after you saved me from the Chamber._

_I've never talked with anyone about this, but the summer after my first year was the worst time in my life. I spent most of my time lying in a hammock staring at the sky. There was a war raging in my head. I hated myself for being so stupid and gullible. I hated myself for almost killing my friends. I hated myself for having to be rescued like some doe-eyed damsel. I hated you for rescuing me; I thought you'd all have been better off without such a pathetic twit around to cause problems. Most of all I hated the pity! I hated the look in everyone's eye as they said: "Ginny it's not your fault." or "Ginny, Voldemort has duped much older and wiser wizards than you." Or a hundred other things that I was told. (Harry if I ever look at you with pity in my eyes...hex me into next week!) No one told me what I wanted to hear: I wanted someone to grab me and shake me and tell me that I was an idiot. I wanted the people I'd almost killed to hate me. I wanted you to hate me for forcing you face-to-face with HIM. But you were kind; you're always kind to me. (Bit annoying that.) _

_Now I find myself in a position where I want to say: "Harry it's not your fault." or "Harry, Voldemort has duped much older and wiser wizards than you." I won't say that. Likewise, I won't say "Harry you're an idiot and should have known better!" either. The truth is probably in the middle somewhere and it's not for me to say where. _

_I have no idea if you're feeling anything similar to what I felt that summer. I started writing this hoping to give you advice on how I survived, but now I realize the impossibility of putting those thoughts onto paper. When you get here, if you ask me, I'll tell you anything you want to know if you think it would help. But you have to ask._

_There's one more thing:_

_During my first year, Tom made me talk about you, a lot. He was very curious. He's afraid of you. After last year in the Department of Mysteries I've become certain of one thing. He will never leave you alone. Harry, we have to find a way to kill him. It's the only way. I am more certain of that than I am about anything else in my life._

_I sorry about this dreary letter. I hope you don't hate me for writing it. I hope something in it helps._

_Your Loving Friend,_

_Ginny Weasley_

_P.S. Please burn this letter. _

Harry read Ginny's letter three times in quick succession. He was aghast! Ginny knew. She understood the self-loathing and numbness that had overwhelmed him over the past few weeks; she'd felt it herself! But why? What had happened in the Chamber wasn't her fault! He'd had no idea it had affected her so severely.

_Well you never bothered to ask her about it did you Potter?_ Harry felt a wave a shame rise through him._ I should have talked to her about it! I was the only other person down there who knew first hand everything that happened. I might have helped her. It never even occurred to me to ask! I'm a huge prat! Now here she is offering herself to help me! _

A black cloud descended over Harry. "I can't think about this now. I'll think about it later."

Ginny's instincts about Mrs. Weasley's persistence proved correct. First thing the following morning Harry heard another pop in his room. He rolled over in his bed to see a very disgruntled Mad-Eye Moody glaring at him.

"Been enjoying your letters this summer Potter! Ever think of taking up writing for a profession?" he growled.

"Good Morning Professor Moody. How can I help you?" Harry asked wearily.

"You can get your arse out of bed and pack your things. You have ten minutes. MOVE! Bloody Hell!" he roared, sniffing the air. "Is that stench coming from you?"

"What happened? Where am I going?" Harry asked as he got up and started throwing his belongings into his truck.

"That red-headed harpy brow beat Dumbledore within an inch of his life yesterday. You're heading for the Burrow for the rest of the summer. It's dangerous and it's the last place you should be, but that woman...Ehhh!" Harry thought that Mad-Eye's mad eye was going to spin out of his head as he spoke. He was infuriated and Harry was sure to keep out of his way as he continued to pack. He released Hedwig and told her to meet him at the Burrow.

"How will we get there?" Harry asked.

"Portkey." Professor Moody handed Harry what looked like a necklace with a crystal tube on the end. "You wear this for the rest of summer. It's an emergency portkey. If anything should go wrong at the Weasley's just crack the crystal and the Portkey will activate and send you to the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. Never take it off, wear it in the shower...everywhere! Although it seems you don't have use for a shower anymore. Do you understand?"

"I understand. I'm ready," Harry said, putting the string over his head and tucking the crystal into his shirt.

"Good. Later someone will come for your things and inform your relations that you're gone."

Moody removed a small flask from his coat pocket and held it out to Harry. Harry touched it and immediately felt a tug around his middle. In the next moment Harry was safely in the kitchen of The Burrow encased in Mrs. Weasley arms. "Harry dear, I'm so glad you're here."

"Mum, let him breath!" chuckled Ron, who seemed to be the only other person around.

"Hi-ya, Harry!" Ron said shaking his mates hand as soon as he had escaped his mothers grasp. "Come with me, I'll show you to your room. You'll be in Percy's old room. You won't have to listen to me snore, not till September anyway."

"At least at school I can put a silencing charm on your bed," Harry chuckled. "I've never seen Percy's room. I don't even know which one it is."

"Right here. Third level, across the hall from Ginny."

Harry looked about the room; it looked like a room that would belong to Percy. It was rather Spartan with white walls and dark blue bed covering and curtains. The only decoration was Percy's various trophies and badges adorning the walls. Harry's attention was quickly drawn to the room across the hall; Harry would have pictured Ginny's room as something very pink and frilly and girly; but it wasn't at all. She had the same dark blue bed covering and curtains as Percy, but the walls were painted a very warm shade of yellow. Covering the wall were dozens and dozens of pictures all waving enthusiastically; they drew Harry into the room. All of the faces were familiar to Harry as fellow Hogwarts students, but he didn't know the names of most of them. There were kids from every house, except Slytherin it seemed. Harry saw pictures of Ron and Hermione, but he couldn't find one picture of himself among the dozens. _Probably because I run every time Colin Creevy comes near me. _

"Ginny has a lot of friends," Harry observed.

"Our Ginny's a friendly girl. But Harry...Ginny hurts people who snoop about her room without her knowledge." Harry's eyes widened in surprise and he quickly exited the room.

"I wouldn't want to be bat-bogeyed!" Harry chuckled. "Where is she?" he asked trying to sound casual.

"Er! I don't believe it! She had a date with Dean Thomas yesterday; his cousin's wedding or something. Mum and Dad actually let her spend the night over there! Can you believe it? An overnight date! That can't be a good idea," Ron fumed.

"I think Ginny can handle Dean." Harry laughed at his friend's outrage. "When does she get back?"

"Dunno. Afternoon sometime. D'ya wanna go for a fly?"

"Naw, thanks. I'm kind of tired; I'd rather just stay in my room for a while. If it's alright?" Harry felt a pressure in his head, he needed to be alone.

"Sure. No problem." Ron seemed disappointed but he left Harry alone in his room.

Harry begged off of lunch that afternoon; he knew Mrs. Weasley wouldn't put up with much meal skipping, but going down to eat seemed like more than he could bear just yet.

Harry heard Ginny's voice shortly after lunch. He felt as though a tiny light had ignited in the gloom that filled his brain. She was down in the kitchen greeting her family, happily filling them in on the events of her weekend. Harry heard her pad up the stairs and breeze by his door, throwing him a quick "Hey, Harry!" as she brought her bags into her own room across the hall. Harry remained lying curled on top of the bed, facing the wall of his darkened room with his back to the door. He hadn't moved when he heard Ginny return, but for some reason he was suddenly wide awake and listening for every sound she made.

"Hey Mum? Is there any lunch left? I'm starving. Can you take a look at my dress? I spilled something on it at the wedding; I don't want it to stain," Ginny yelled from inside her room.

"Yes of course dear, bring it here."

Harry listened as Ginny ran back down the stairs, presumably with the dress. Ginny had a brief conversation with her mother in a hushed tone. Harry couldn't hear what they were saying. He hoped it wasn't about him. Harry didn't hear Ginny return upstairs and he presumed she'd remained with her Mum.

Suddenly Harry felt the hair on the back of his neck prickle and he knew he wasn't alone.

"Now Harry, I've just made more noise that a herd of Hippogriff's. I know you're not asleep." Ginny's voice was very soft and calm, but Harry thought he heard a bit of the steely edge that she used when dealing with Malfoy.

"Hi, Ginny, did you have a nice time?" Harry couldn't be bothered to sound enthusiastic about his inquiry and he didn't bother turning to look at her.

"Lovely, thank you for asking." Ginny walked into the room and opened the curtains to let in the sun light. Harry winced at the sudden light filling the room and threw his arm over his eyes. "Harry it smells like a pile of dragon dung in here!" Ginny opened the window to let in some fresh air. "When was the last time you bathed? Honestly! Come with me."

Ginny tugged at Harry's arm, he resisted, and Ginny's grip moved immediately to Harry's right ear and she began leading Harry to the loo.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Bugger Ginny! That hurts!" Harry got up, no longer resisting, and walked peacefully toward the shower as Ginny kept firm hold on his ear.

Ginny's tone remained sweet as cream. "I don't believe what they let you get away with around here. If you were anyone else Mum would have dragged you to the loo and washed your bits herself."

Harry's terror stricken eyes snapped up suddenly and met Ginny's; her expression was unreadable, but he got the impression that she was hoping for more resistance from him.

"I'll wash my own bits. Thank You!" Harry pushed Ginny out of the bathroom and quickly locked the door.

"Suit yourself!" Ginny flounced back to her own room to unpack her bags.

Harry undressed and got into the shower, he ran it as hot as he could stand; the water felt wonderful beating against his skin. _Oh...good idea. This is what I need. Oh, this is nice... Hang On!... What did Ginny say? Was she going to bath me herself if I resisted? NO!... She'd never! Hmm...maybe I should have resisted a bit more! Ginny's toying with me! I'll have to remember to call little Ginny's bluff next time! OK! (Weasley 1; Potter 0) But now it's time for round two! I can make little Ginny crumble! She can barely stand to look me in the eye most days. Of course I've never intentionally tried to make her meltdown. But how difficult can it be?_

Harry quickly hopped out of the shower and toweled himself off. He looked at his reflection in the enchanted mirror and was shocked to see himself with a huge ear-to-ear grin on his face.

"Hey, handsome! I haven't seen you in a while. Where did grouchy git boy go?" _I hate enchanted mirrors! _

Harry wrapped a towel around his middle and made his way back to his room to dress. He paused at Ginny's open door and watched her store her overnight bags back onto the upper shelf of the cupboard. Harry leaned in the doorway, in what he hoped was a sexy, yet casual pose.

"Hey, Gin."

Ginny turned and smiled at him. Her eyes swiftly scanned his towel clad body, but quickly returned to his face without the slightest blush. "Well, the shower certainly agreed with you! That's quite a grin. What are you so happy about suddenly?"

_She's not even blushing, that's not a good sign! Easy Potter, just be smooth... look her in the eye. She's a sucker for my eyes. They're as 'green as a fresh pickled toad'! She'll crumble._

"Well... I was thinking, maybe I acquiesced a little too soon earlier. Maybe I should have accepted your offer of help in the shower."

Ginny started walking slowly towards him, still smiling sweetly, her eyes locked onto his. "Is that what you want Harry? " She was standing very close to him now. An electric volt shot through him as her fingers gently fondling the string from the emergency portkey that hung around Harry's neck. _She's not crumbling. Something is very wrong here! And it's a really bad idea to be here wearing only a towel!_

"Is that what you want Harry?" Ginny repeated slowly. "Do you want someone in the shower with you, soaping and scrubbing you all over?"

Harry gulped and squeaked out "Maybe."

"Because if you had resisted that's exactly what would have happened... It's not too late."

"It's not?" _OK. I'm terrified! How do I get out of this?_

"Not at all. I have Fred and George standing by downstairs in case you gave me any trouble; they'd be glad to assist you...Oh! Where'd that pretty grin go?"

Harry paled, but took in a deep calming breathing. He didn't know if he was relieved, disappointed or just damn impressed. "You're a wicked woman!"

Ginny stepped back and a smile of pure joy spread across her face. It was as though Harry could not have paid her a higher compliment! "Thank you Harry! Now go and dress. We're going out. I have a birthday present for you." Harry's grin returned and he went off to dress.

Once alone in his room Harry began to laugh outright for the first time in weeks. The relief spread over him like a balm. He quickly dressed and returned to Ginny.

"I'm ready. Where're we going? It's not my birthday till tomorrow."

Ginny just waggled her eyebrows at him and pushed him down towards the kitchen and out into the yard. As Harry passed through the kitchen he noticed the twins sitting around the kitchen table with various sort of scrubbing pads and brushes; some of the brushes seemed to have wire bristles.

"Look Fred, there's Harry. He doesn't seem to need our services today! Maybe next time!" Harry grimaced at the twins without saying a word and continued walking through the kitchen without breaking stride. _Note to self: We will never try to call Ginny's bluff on anything. We will just do what we're told. Much safer!_

Once out the kitchen door, Harry spied Ron helping to weed the vegetable garden.

Ron smirked knowingly at Harry as he and Ginny passed.

"I'm afraid of your sister," Harry mumbled quietly as he passed Ron.

Ron just chuckled and said, "Welcome to the club mate! We all live in fear of that one! Move along with you...I don't suggest you keep her waiting." Ron was glad that Ginny was finally able to be herself around Harry. They both had so many secrets that they kept bottled up inside them. They'd be good for each other.

Harry and Ginny walked out of the Burrow gardens and down the path toward the swimming pond in companionable silence.

They reached the edge of the orchard and Ginny stopped under a huge old oak tree. Harry raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"You have to hold my hand to see it the first time," she said as she took Harry's hand entwining her fingers amongst his. Harry felt Ginny's warmth flood his hand and travel up his arm spreading quickly throughout his entire body. A wave of calm enveloped him and he looked down at their entwined hands to see if this magic was visible. He looked up to ask Ginny what spell she'd just used to make him feel so good, but as he did his eyes fell on a wooden make-shift ladder which was now descending down out of the tree.

"Wicked!"

"Go on up, but don't let go of my hand until you have both feet on the ladder," Ginny instructed.

Harry quickly ascended the ladder, the leaves and branches were thick around him as he climbed steadily upward. The ladder passed through an opening in a wooden platform, the opening was small and Harry had to squeeze though it to step out onto the top of the platform. The sight that greeted him on the other side amazed him. The branches of the tree twined together to form an intimate bower at the top of the tree. The branches provided enough shade to make the room comfortable, but did not impede the sweeping views of the countryside around them. From this vantage point, Harry could clearly see the orchard, swimming pond, Quidditch pitch and The Burrow as well as the surrounding fields, hills and meadows. It was the most beautiful view Harry had ever seen. His attention shifted to the inside of the bower, the room held only a bookshelf in the corner overflowing with books in all shapes and sizes and a huge hammock that was hung between the branches. Harry remembered her saying something about a hammock.

"Happy Birthday, Harry." Ginny had followed him up the ladder and was watching him as he took in his surroundings.

"Ginny, this is brilliant! What is this place? You're giving it to me?"

"It's kind of my sanctuary. Dad built it for me when I was very little. To get away... you know... six brothers. None of my brothers know about it. Well Ron does... or did, he used to come here with me when we were younger, before he left for Hogwarts. It's charmed though, so he wouldn't remember where it is now. There are also charms to keep out the rain and cold. I come here to read, write letters, escape from Mum and the twins. I'm giving it to you...for the summer. It's very private here and you'll able to think."

"Ginny, the hammock, is this the place you wrote me about?" Ginny nodded, Harry continued quietly. "I wanted to thank you for that letter Ginny, it meant a lot to me. I thought I was the only one who felt that way... " Harry couldn't bring himself to continue talking about his own feelings so he changed direction "...Ginny, you always seem so cheerful and outgoing, I had no idea you felt like this sometimes. Even after the Chamber you seemed to bounce right back to your happy self. I remember noticing that."

"You've discovered my deep, dark secret Harry." She said with a sly grin. "I suppose I act happy, so people assume I'm fine, and leave me alone; whereas you act like a prat and scare people into leaving you alone." She giggled at the dark glare he shot at her.

"We're both after the same thing in the end. I've found that when I spend time here, the blackness doesn't linger."

"The blackness! That's how I see it too. It's like a black cloud descends, and sits on me. Wow." Harry chuckled nervously then became serious again holding Ginny's gaze in his own. "I think I would like to hear about your summer after the Chamber. If you can talk about it. Can you? Talk about it?"

"I can try. I never have. Not with anyone. Not honestly anyway. I'll try...but not now. First there are some ground rules for your present."

Ginny pulled out of the intensity of Harry's gaze and went to sit sideways in the hammock. She patted to the place next to her and Harry obeyed and they sat comfortably side by side, gently swinging.

"First," Ginny began "you can't tell any one about this place, you can't tell them where it is, and you can't bring them here. Agreed?"

"Agreed. But what do I say if someone asks where I've been?"

"They won't. I'll make sure everyone leaves you alone...Second rule: You have to come out everyday for meals and Quidditch. Meals to make Mum happy; and Quidditch, for me. I need all the practice I can get if I'm to make chaser next year. Agreed?"

Harry laughed. "Ok that's easy! Anything else?"

Not for you. No. I'm the only one who'd be able to find you here. My rule is that I won't bother you except for meals and Quidditch or unless I'm specifically invited by you. Deal?"

"Deal...Say what's in that basket you brought? I'm starving!" Harry got up and rummaged through a picnic basket that Molly had pressed into Ginny's hands as they left the Burrow.

"Six sandwiches! Who does she think she's feeding?" Harry chuckled.

He brought out two butterbeers and two sandwiches and brought them back to the hammock for them to eat.

"Thank you Ginny. This is the best present anyone has ever given me. It's better than the Firebolt! "

"NO!" Ginny laughed, "It's not better than a Firebolt! But you're welcome. I hope it helps. It helped me."

"I should have been there for you after the Chamber. I should have asked how you were; I didn't even think to ask. I'm sorry."

"It wouldn't have done any good Harry, I would have told you I was fine. Besides... I wasn't very good at talking to you at that time...If you'll recall." Ginny grimaced with embarrassment at her former debilitating crush she'd once had on Harry Potter.

"I remember. You seem to have gotten better at it," Harry chuckled, blushing lightly.

Ginny desperately needed to change the subject.

"I've been trying to think of a way to explain to you what I went through the summer after the Chamber. It's not easy to explain, but what I did was ask myself three questions everyday. Everyday I would answer the questions. Everyday the answers would change. The three questions were: How did this happen to me? What do I need to change about myself? How do I envision my future?"

"That's it?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Well...they're not easy questions to answer. Especially if you're trying to be honest with yourself. As I said, the answers changed everyday, but by the end of summer I had a plan, a roadmap, sort of, to where I wanted my life to be. It's worked out really well for me. I'm happy now. I have more control over my own happiness." Harry stared blankly at Ginny, clearly not understanding her and making Ginny grimace. "I don't know Harry. Your problems are so much bigger than mine, maybe this is silly."

"No. No Ginny it's not silly. I want to understand. Please make me understand. Why where you so unhappy?"

Ginny gulped and her eyes widened. Panic began to take over her mind. How was she going to do this? It was beyond humiliating. How would she tell Harry how ashamed she was to be poor with second-hand everything? That she had no friends. And worst of all, that she was madly in love with a boy who didn't know she was alive. And that boy was sitting in front of her. She knew that Harry knew about her crush, but she'd never admitted it to him, they'd never talked about it!

"It's all so humiliating," was all Ginny could manage to say.

Harry pensively watched Ginny as she had this battle in her head. Harry had a pretty good idea about what she was going through. Tom Riddle had told him a bit about what Ginny had written in the diary. He knew it was hard for her to talk about it, but she was trying to talk to help him. He wanted to make it easier for her.

"Er..I have an idea," he said. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable and it's not fair that you have to suffer all the humiliation. Would it help if I told you something completely embarrassing and humiliating about myself? Then we'd be mutually humiliated, and we'd be even. Would that help?"

Ginny was startled; this was the last thing she expected. Harry was very private and rarely shared his feelings, let alone his insecurities with anyone. She was curious.

"Harry I don't want you to humiliate yourself!" she said aghast. Then a sly grin crept across her face and the twinkle returned to her eyes. "Oh who am I kidding? Yeah! That would help! Spill Potter!"

Harry glared at her again. "Alright! But I'm going to remember how gleeful you are when it's your turn!"

Harry leaned back in the hammock and looked at the clear summer sky above him. There was no way he could tell this story while looking someone in the eye, especially Ginny.

He took his time and gathered his thoughts.

"Well as you know I was raised by the Dursleys and that they were less than model guardians. They didn't communicate many things to me. When I came to Hogwarts I was shockingly ignorant about some things."

"What do you mean?" Ginny had a feeling she knew where this conversation was going, but she wasn't sure.

Harry continued facing up toward the sky, but placed both hands over his face, his glasses falling to his lap. "I mean... growing up...changes...boys, girls...Stuff!"

"Ohhh!...Stuff," Ginny said desperately swallowing a snicker. Harry in this much agony was the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. She was riveted.

"I can't stress strongly enough how completely ignorant I was! I knew there was some vague difference between boys and girls; I knew that eventually boys and girls married each other and that's how families were made. I was never curious about the details. Then at the beginning of second year...well... Over the summer Seamus had discovered ... Er...a new way to entertain himself? And it's all he could do, or talk about!" Harry peeked out through his fingers at Ginny to see if she understood.

"Masturbation? Wet Dreams?" Ginny asked succinctly.

"Yeah that would be it. Thanks... Again, I was ignorant! And I was too humiliated to ask the guys what they were talking about!"

"What did you do?" queried Ginny gently.

"I did what I always do when I don't understand something." Harry's arms dropped to his sides grimly, and he turned his head to Ginny.

"I asked Hermione."

Ginny couldn't take it anymore; she threw her head back and laughed outright. "Hermione Granger told you about the birds and the bees?" Ginny continued laughing out of control.

"Oh Yeah! A bit too thoroughly. And being Hermione, she lead with her strength, which was the girls' side of the story. The first bit wasn't bad, when she talked about...you know...developing...you know..." Harry's hands were gesturing wildly in front of his chest. "curves...developing curves. But then she started in on a woman's monthly cycle! She went on and on in excruciatingly gory detail. I was horrified! I think I blacked-out most of it. I didn't need to know any of that! I _still_ don't need to know any of that! When she finally got around to talking about the boys side I was numb!

"And I just want to mention, in passing, that your snickering is duly noted and will be remembered when the tables are turned!

"Where was I? Boys side! Right then! Again she went through the physical changes quite thoroughly; but then when she _finally_ got to the part that I really needed to know...you know...what you said before."

"Masturbation and wet dreams?"

"Yeah that."

"You can say _Voldemort_, but you can't say masturbation or wet dreams?" Ginny asked drying.

"Entirely different!" Harry dismissed. "Well anyway...when we finally got to those topics, she froze! She ran out of the room and returned a few minutes later with a book. I don't know why she didn't just give me the book right off. It would have saved a lot of pain! Nice little book that."

"Hmmf! Too bad you didn't ask me, thanks to six brothers, I know more about wet dreams than any girl has a right!"

Harry laughed. "Ginny! Back then, your head would explode if I asked you to pass the pumpkin juice! What would've happened if I'd asked you about sex?"

"Point taken," Ginny scowled.

"Besides, I think that was the moment that permanently changed Hermione's and my relationship! After that trauma, she'll always be a sister to me: Nothing more."

"Oh. I'm glad you didn't ask me then," Ginny almost whispered.

"Me too." A sly smile crossed Harry's face as he looked at Ginny with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. "So you could say that about the same time in learned I was a Parselmouth; I also learned how to take care of my own pet snake!" Harry then collapsed in shorts of laughter.

Ginny's mouth hung open in astonishment as she watched Harry crack himself up. "That was a dirty joke! Harry Potter just told... a really bad... dirty joke! The twins would be so proud. How long have you been carrying that joke around in your pocket?"

Between snorts he managed to respond, while wiping away tears. "Oh, a long time, I've never had the opportunity to use it before. You're the first... and only."

"I'm honored," Ginny said sincerely. She had never seen Harry so relaxed and unguarded. She felt like she was looking at a completely different person and she liked this person very much. This was a friend; someone who would understand her secrets.

They were contentedly quite together for a long time. Ginny kicked off her shoes and managed to rotate her body so that she was lying in the hammock; Harry did the same thing but in the opposite direction so that they were both lying facing each other. It was cozy without being too intimate. Harry thought it was nice to be close to someone, touching; even if it was only the bottom portion of their legs that were in contact.

"OK, I'm ready."

"Ginny, you don't have to."

"No. A deal's a deal. When we were in the chamber, did Tom talk about what I wrote in the diary?" Harry nodded. "I was ashamed, ashamed of being poor, and not having anything nice to wear. Annoyed that I was considered just another Weasley, everyone assumed they knew me based on their prior knowledge of my brothers. No one bothered to find out who I really was. I was invisible. Mostly, I was terribly hurt that Ron didn't want anything to do with me. Before he went to Hogwarts we were best friends, he was my only friend really. We did everything together, we talked about everything. I missed him, and I thought that once I got to school we'd have that back, but he'd found you and Hermione, and there was no room for me. I still miss him. Then, there was you; I had a bit of a crush on you."

"Just a little one," Harry teased.

"Don't start teasing now Potter. I was always very grateful that you never teased me about it; lots of boys would have been cruel, you were always kind. Actually I don't know if you were being kind, or if you didn't know I existed."

"I always knew you existed, but I was completely unprepared for a girl to have feelings for me. Any girl. All I knew was that I made you horribly uncomfortable, and you'd run from the room if I tried to talk to you or even look at you. I didn't want you to be uncomfortable because of me. I discovered that if I didn't talk to you, you'd at least stay in the room. I got quite good at it. I'd always sit with my back to you in the common room or the library. I'd always sit on the same side of the table as you in the Great Hall, so you I wouldn't catch your eye at dinner. I guess it became habit. Don't ever think I didn't know you were there."

"So I was right; you were kind. Thank you," Ginny said while subtly wiping away a tear.

"And Ron is mad about you. He always talks about you. He didn't understand why you were so shy around me. He was always telling me funny stories about how evil you really are. He said that you were worse than the twins when you wanted to be, just more subtle. I never had first hand proof until today. You will pay for that shower incident, just give me time," Harry chuckled.

"Oh please, you hadn't bathed in weeks; you deserved it. I'm not scared of you Potter; give it your best shot!"

"Actually I think I'd rather be your ally than your adversary," Harry said thoughtfully.

"Smart man," Ginny said stretching lazily in the hammock. As Harry watched her stretch, he had to force himself to look away when he caught his gaze lingering on Ginny's breasts; she'd filled out a lot recently. Harry got up to fetch two more butterbeers from the picnic hamper. He handed Ginny her drink, but didn't return to the hammock. Instead he stood by the overflowing bookshelf examining the books as he spoke.

"So once you figured all this out, how did you fix it?" Harry said trying to get the conversation back on course and hoping he wasn't blushing too obviously.

"Oh that was the easy part. First, I needed to apologize to the people that I hurt. They all said that it wasn't necessary, but it was necessary to me and it felt so good afterwards, like a weight had been lifted. The only person I never apologized to was you." She put up her hand to keep him from interrupting. "You risked your life and saved mine, and I never thanked you properly. Thank you and I'm sorry I put you in danger like that."

"You're welcome Gin," Harry said sincerely and he felt his chest constrict. He was amazed by how open she was being with him and truly touched that she trusted him with information and feelings that he was sure she had never shared with anyone before. He wanted to say something more to her, but the appropriate words wouldn't come. Ginny had moved on with the conversation.

"After the apologies, the second thing I needed was friends. Real friends. I needed to build a life for myself away from my family. I started by writing letters. Instead of pouring my heart out into Tom's diary I started writing to people; anyone who had shown interest in being my friend. That's when I became close to Colin and especially Neville. Neville was wonderful to me, I love Neville; he's a great friend. He's had a very lonely life, he reminds me of you in some ways."

"Yeah, Neville and I have a lot in common," Harry said thinking of the prophecy and how it could have applied to either of them. "Hey! It's Neville's birthday today!"

"I know. I'm trying to get Neville and Luna together. What do you think?"

"That would be an interesting match," Harry said warily. "I wonder what Neville's Gran would make of Luna?" he grimaced.

"That's what Neville said!" Ginny laughed.

"Good luck with that Gin, and warn me if you ever decide to do any matchmaking on me!" he laughed.

"We'll see!" she giggled waggling her eyebrows at him.

"You have lots of _muggle_ books here," he said surprised.

"Have you met my father?" she snorted dryly.

"This one's my favorite, _Oliver Twist_; I always imagined running away from the Dursleys and fending for myself on the streets."

"Oh...poor Harry!" she said sincerely, getting out of the hammock. "These two are my favorites," she said handing him the books.

"I've never heard of them."

"Well they're not really the kind of books boys read. There about relationships, and true love and tragic love...you know girl stuff." She giggled at Harry's grimace. "But they do have two of the sexiest heroes ever committed to the page," she sighed.

"Really?" Harry said speculatively. He had no interest in reading a sappy girls book, but he was rather curious to know what kind of man little Ginny Weasley found sexy.

"What do you say we go find Ron and get in an hour of Quidditch before dinner?" he asked.

"Sounds brilliant." she said, as she grabbed the picnic basket and started down the ladder.

As they walked back, Ginny became very quiet and tense. Harry couldn't imagine what was wrong.

"Wait, Harry." Ginny paused in front of Harry and stopped him with one palm on his chest. "There's something I need to tell you before we go inside."

"Ok." Harry shrugged. He noticed Ginny's discomfort, he took her hand in his and entwined his fingers with hers. He was surprised by how natural it felt to hold Ginny's hand and look into her chocolate eyes. "Gin, just tell me."

"I'm angry with you. I don't want to make you feel worse than you already do, but somebody has to tell you," Ginny blurted.

"Alright. Did I do something that hurt your feelings?" he wondered.

"No. It's not about me. It's about Ron. He's hurting, Harry, badly. He won't talk about it, but he's still having pain from when the brain attacked him in the Department of Mysteries. I think he's haunted by someone else's memories. I know they terrify him. He's really needed you this summer Harry, and you were too wrapped up in yourself to even write him a letter. You're not the only one who's hurting you know. You seem so busy in dealing with Sirius that you forget that there were other people down there with you. You can't do anything to help Sirius, but you can help Ron." Ginny took a breath to continue, but Harry place a finger gently over her mouth.

"I get it," he said quietly. He was quiet for a long while, looking at his shoes, but still holding Ginny's hand. "You're trying to tell me that I'm a self-involved, arrogant prat." Harry sighed loudly. "Why do you all put up with me?"

"You're a lovable self-involved, arrogant prat." Ginny's mouth twitched at the corners.

"Well, that's something." Harry and Ginny started walking towards the house again hand in hand. Their hands released one another as came within sight of the house.

**Authors Note:**

Special thanks to Mara, Aurora and Funnykido for editing this chapter for me. I need all the help I can get!


	3. Chapter Two: Who is This Girl?

The Devils Triangle

Chapter 2: Who is This Girl?

The Weasley family gathered contentedly around the table to dine on roasted chicken. There were just five in residence at The Burrow that night, so dinner was a more subdued affair than usual. Mrs. Weasley, however still managed to cook enough food to feed twenty and was determined to fatten Harry up by the end of summer. During dinner, a post owl flew through the window and straight to Ginny. The owl had a box attached to its leg, and Ginny removed it with a puzzled look.

"What'cha got there Gin?" Ron asked.

"Don't know yet." Ginny unwrapped the box and removed the letter inside. "Excellent. It's a box of chocolate frogs from Dean." Ginny grinned happily.

"You just saw him this morning! Why's he sending you presents?" Ron exclaimed.

Ginny blushed as she read his letter, and giggled. "He's just apologizing for being a little grouchy yesterday. He's sweet."

"What do you mean 'apologizing'? Did he try something? Dad, see I told you she shouldn't have gone over there," Ron began to rant.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Really Ron, it wasn't like that."

"What was it like then?" Ron insisted.

Ginny ignored Ron and turned to her mother. "Actually Mum, it was the weirdest thing! I'm usually so invisible to boys, but at this wedding there were about twelve of them who kept asking me to dance. It was amazing! It must be something in the Thomas blood that makes me attractive to the," she shrugged.

Mrs. Weasley smiled at her daughter. "I think you'll find other boys will be paying attention to you too, dear."

"Really? Why?" She sounded shocked.

"You've filled out a bit Gin," Harry said before he even realized what was coming out of his mouth! He grimaced and kept his eyes locked on his potatoes.

"Is that it?" Ginny asked him incredulously.

"Pretty sure, yeah," Harry answered, still looking down, but feeling the hot glares of Ron and Mr. Weasley upon him.

"Hmmf. It's amazing what a few pounds of well placed body fat can do for a girl's popularity," she said matter-of-factly.

"It does work wonders, dear," Mrs. Weasley laughed.

"Wait a minute!" Ron interrupted. "You're at this wedding flirting and dancing with a dozen other blokes, and Dean's apologizing to you? Is he insane? Why didn't you just dance with Dean?"

"He didn't want to dance… he only wanted to snog in the cloakroom! I was bored with that; I wanted to dance!"

Ron was rendered speechless; his face, apoplectic. Mr. Weasley didn't look too healthy either, but Harry burst out laughing. "You were bored snogging? Are you sure you were doing it right?"

"You're an expert, Potter?" Ginny glared at him. "I just wanted to dance,alright?"

"Right then!" Mrs. Weasley interrupted. "Who's for apple pie?"

Dinner finished in virtual silence, with Mrs. Weasley giving Ron 'You'd better keep quiet' threatening glares. At the same time, she was sending her husband 'We'll talk about it later' soothing glares.

To escape the Weasley family tension, Harry headed to his room immediately after dinner. His trunk had been delivered to The Burrow that afternoon and Harry began unpacking a few things and setting up Hedwig's cage. Unfortunately, a very agitated Ron had followed him and lay down on Harry's bed to vent his spleen.

"As soon as we get on the Hogwarts Express, I am going to hex Dean into next week! What is he thinking, trying to snog my sister senseless as soon as she's out of my sight?" Harry smirked at Ron's all too predictable rant.

"And can you believe her? Snogging in cloakrooms! Flirting shamelessly! My sister's a scarlet woman, I tell you! She's only fourteen!" Ron fumed.

"Ron, calm down! Your mother didn't seem to think there was anything to worry about, so why should you? Ginny'll be fine, and actually she's fifteen, almost."

"Scarlet woman!" Ron yelled at Ginny as she passed by the open door and entered her own room.

"Bite me, Ron!" she yelled back.

"That's exactly the problem! You let entirely too many boys bite you!" Ron yelled as he stomped out into the corridor. Ginny immediately flew out of her room in a fiery rage, wand in hand. She threw her hex before Harry even realized what was happening. Ron crumbled to the floor with a groan as Bat-Bogeys flew out his nose, attacking him all over his body. Harry had never seen Ginny's Bat-Bogey hex before, but it looked very unpleasant.

Ginny stood over Ron screaming, her voice sounding like a demon from hell. "That, dear brother, is how **I** deal with boys who don't treat me properly! And that's how I'll deal with you in the future if you ever speak disparagingly about me again or if you **ever** interfere in my love life again! Do you understand?" Ron made a sort of belching sound, but it was impossible for him to speak because bogeys kept flying out of his mouth every time he opened it. "I said, do you understand?" she repeated. Ron managed to nod in agreement. "Good." Ginny turned and began to leave the room.

"Gin, wait!" Harry managed to shake off his shock in time to stop her.

"Yes, Harry?" she said in her normal sweet voice.

"You can't just leave him like this! You have to perform the counter curse!" Harry said desperately.

"Oh. No, I'm sorry but I can't. I'm not allowed to perform magic outside of school," Ginny said calmly. She smiled and returned to her own room. Ron continued to writhe in agony on the floor.

"Bloody hell!"Harry ran from the room and bellowed down the stairs, "Mrs. Weasley! Mr. Weasley! Come quickly!"

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came running as though they expected to find a room full of Death Eaters. When they saw Ron in a slimy, gooey mass on the floor they were extremely relieved. Mrs. Weasley performed the counter curse, then a cleaning spell. "Ginny Weasley! Come here this instant!" she hollered.

Ginny appeared at the door with her arms crossed over her chest and her face locked in a cold scowl. Harry thought she looked terrifying and beautiful; he'd never seen anything like it. _Had I even known this girl before today?_ Ron managed to sit up on the floor and he glared back at Ginny.

"Well?" Mr. Weasley said, glaring back and forth at the two of them glaring at one another. There was no question what Mr. Weasley was expecting from his youngest two children at that moment.

Ron took a deep breath and spoke in a monotone voice. "I'm sorry Ginny, I went too far. You're **not** a scarlet woman."

"And?" Ginny asked expectantly.

Ron thought for a moment, and then reluctantly continued, "…and I'll try to not interfere in your love life. I can't promise anything, but I'll try." Suddenly, the stoic Ron disappeared. "Look Gin, I love you! I just don't want to see you hurt."

Ginny's stance immediately softened and she flew to her brother, throwing her arms around him. "I'm sorry I bogeyed you, Ron. I just wanted to remind you I can take care of myself." Harry smiled at the realization that he had no doubt whatsoever Ginny could take care of herself. "Forgive me?"

Ron nodded and grinned.

For the second time in less than an hour, an owl flew into The Burrow and headed straight for Ginny. This letter had an official seal of the Ministry of Magic. With trepidation, she opened the letter and scanned it. Sheepishly, she handed the letter to her father who read it quickly, and then sighed handing it back to Ginny.

"Ginny, you're going to have to accompany me to the Ministry tomorrow, so we can pay your fine and clear this up," Mr. Weasley said as he and his wife turned to leave.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, Dad. Will the fine be big?" Ginny said with real remorse in her voice.

"We'll know tomorrow," he said quietly, as he began to descend down the stairs.

Harry took the parchment from Ginny and quickly skimmed it. He was surprised to see a letter almost identical to the one he'd received in his second year when Dobby dropped the cake on Mrs. Mason's head. He shook his head and gave Ginny a weak sigh.

It was amazing how quickly Ginny and Ron rebounded from their fight; within five minutes they were both sprawled on Harry's bed, giggling and teasing each other like nothing had happened. _It must be a sibling thing!_ Growing up with Dudley, he'd never experienced anything like it.

"Well, I'm out of here. See you boys later," Ginny said, leaving them alone and returning to her own room.

"Wow… she's something else!" Harry said in awe, with nothing but admiration in his voice. "Honestly Ron, I'd be more worried about Dean than Ginny." Harry paused, watching his friend for a moment. "Ginny misses you, you know."

"She sees me every bleedin' day!"

"No, I mean as a friend, like you were before Hogwarts. Before me and Hermione."

Ron looked surprised momentarily, and then his face relaxed as he remembered. "Yeah, we **were** pretty close. We'd spend hours hiding up in that Bower of hers, talking and dreaming. I assume that's where she took you today." Ron watched Harry's wary reaction. "It's okay, I know you can't say anything. She guards that place viciously."

"Is there something the two of you could do, just the two of you? You know to reconnect? I think she'd like that."

"I'm sure there is, loads of stuff. I'll have to think about it."

"How are you feeling Ron?" Harry asked tentatively.

"I'm good; that Bat-Bogey hex doesn't seem to have any residual effects."

"No… I mean from the Department of Mysteries. I'm sorry I never wrote you..."

"Harry!" Ron grimaced. "If hanging around Ginny is going to make you go all mushy, I'm going to have to find a new best friend!"

Harry laughed with relief. "Sorry."

"No problem. To quote my best mate, Harry Bleedin' Potter: 'I'M FINE!' Really, there are some things you just have to suck-up, right?"

"That's right," Harry said with a wry smile.

Ron was quiet for a moment. "Thanks for asking, though. Well, I'm off to bed." Ron stopped as he reached the door. "I almost forgot. Ginny told me to give this to you, but I'm not going to ask why!" Ron glared at him, as he pulled a small book from his back pocket. "This has been passed down through all the Weasley men, so I figure it's your turn now. **Don't** let Mum catch you with it."

Harry took the book from Ron and his eyes went wide as he read: _The Witches and Wizards Guide to Wild Whoopee. _Harry opened the book to a random page and his eyes went even wider.

"The pictures move!" he gasped.

"Good book, that! 'Night, Harry!" Ron left the room grinning, and closed the door behind him.

"Whoa!" Harry exclaimed, as he paged through the book. _It's a lot more complicated than I thought it was. It looks like a lot of work! Fun, though!_

That night Harry Potter forgot to stay awake, and had a full night's sleep for the first time in over a month. He did not dream of the Department of Mysteries. He did not dream of Voldemort. But Harry Potter **did** dream. Oh yes! He dreamt.

The next morning dawned bright and warm. Harry hadn't drawn his curtains the night before, so the first of the sun's bright rays woke Harry with a start. His first reaction upon waking was one of complete contentment and relaxation. This feeling was quickly replaced by a frenzied panic as he remembered the nature of his dreams the previous night. _Oh no! _

Harry'd had sexy dreams before, of course, but they had been rather sweet and as innocent as they could be, given the subject; but thanks to Harry's new education, the previous night's dreams were very vivid and extremely graphic and this time they involved Ginny. _Oh Ginny! What have I done? I'll never be able to look you in the eye again! I've got to get out of here! I need to fly!_ Harry bounded out of bed and quickly dressed, grabbing his Firebolt and heading for the door.

As soon as he opened the door, he saw the last thing he needed to see at that moment! Ginny was coming out of her room wearing only her bed clothes, wearing the same Chudley Cannons tee shirt she'd been wearing for as long as Harry had known her. However, she'd grown into the much worn shirt in a way that left nothing to the imagination. (Of course Harry's imagination took in the sight and ran with it anyway!) She was also wearing a pair of too large orange Chudley Cannons boxers hung loosely over her hips showing the milky white, lightly freckled skin of her belly and her bellybutton.

Harry's conscious mind finally caught up with what his subconscious mind had discovered yesterday: Ginny Weasley was sexy! Very sexy, in a way that only a girl who had no idea she was sexy could possibly be. Her small frame had developed more than generous curves in all the right places. Harry had always thought she was pretty; her features weren't refined enough to make her classically beautiful, but her large, warm chocolate eyes, her bow-shaped mouth, and a smattering of freckles made her very attractive yet still approachable. Then there was her fiery red hair flowing halfway down her back in turbulent waves…... His mouth went dry as he stood there, gaping at her.

"Harry! Harry, are you all right? Is it your scar? Does it hurt?" she exclaimed in a very worried tone.

Harry snapped out of his daze and focused on Ginny's concerned face, not quite meeting her eyes. "No, I feel fine. Morning, Ginny. I'm just going for a fly. See ya later." He was gone in a flash.

Harry spent the next two hours circling the Weasley's meadow/Quidditch pitch at top speed. His one goal was to purge images of Ginny from his head. _She's your friend you randy git! Finally… someone who understands you and is easy to talk to; you're not going to ruin that by drooling over her. Besides she's not interested in you in the slightest; she got over you years ago. So stop it! ... Stop it! ... I said, stop it! You're in no mental state to even be thinking about girls right now. You'll just make a mess of it. Stop it!_ Harry's internal tirade continued along these lines until he felt fairly certain he was back in control of his thoughts. Actually, he found he was just very hungry and wanted to go into breakfast.

Harry grabbed a quick shower and headed down to breakfast with Ron, who had recently woken up.

"Ginny mentioned Quidditch after lunch today, as she should be back from the Ministry by then. Is that good for you?" Ron asked.

"Yup," Harry grunted, eating as fast as he could. He was famished.

"You going to the… you know… place we're not allowed to talk about today?"

"Yup. When's Hermione coming?" Harry asked.

Ron rolled his eyes in frustration. "I'm not sure yet. I can't get a straight answer out of the woman. She's traveling with her parents, and every time they're supposed to head home, her parents think of somewhere else they want to go. It's almost like her parents are trying to keep her away from me… er, I mean us." Ron corrected himself quickly and Harry pretended not to notice his slip.

"I'm sure you're reading more into it. They hardly get to spend time with her at all anymore. It must be hard for them," Harry said consolingly.

"I guess," Ron pouted.

"What are you doing today?" Harry asked, feeling a little guilty about deserting his friend to escape to the bower.

"I'm flooing to Diagon Alley; I promised Fred and George I'd help them unload an inventory shipment today. I've been working for them a bit this summer, but I'll be done by lunch though."

"Brilliant! Do they pay you?"

"Yeah, but they're cheap as dirt, those two. They'd try to pay me with dung bombs if I let them."

"You can never have too many dung bombs!" Harry laughed as he rose to leave. "I'll see you at lunch then."

"See ya mate."

Harry passed the remainder of the morning in Ginny's Bower. She was right: it was a magical place to be alone. Harry lay in the hammock, looking up at the sky. He could easily keep his mind blank, but Harry felt he didn't want to. He cautiously allowed his mind to wander through his troubles: Sirius' death, his rash decision to go to the Department of Mysteries, the Prophecy. He found that in this peaceful place he could think about these things; he still felt the guilt and anguish that accompanied many of his memories, but the emotions didn't overwhelm him here. As Ginny promised, the blackness didn't linger. It was as though he could feel himself healing from within.

Eventually Harry wandered over to Ginny's bookshelf; he picked up the two books she'd indicated were her favorites which had (_What did she call them? Oh yeah…) 'the two sexiest heroes ever committed to the page'._ Harry just had to know... he returned to the hammock and began reading.

Harry returned to The Burrow at noontime and found both Ginny and Ron had returned.

"Hey Harry," they said in unison, as they helped their mother bring lunch to the table and they all sat down to eat.

"Are you feeling better Harry? You looked a little peaked this morning," Ginny asked.

"No, no. I just needed some exercise," Harry said quickly, willing away the blush that was threatening to appear on his face. "So, how was the Ministry? Are you in trouble?"

Ginny's face darkened. "No, Dad paid the fine, so I'm off the hook." Harry was about to inquire further, when he noticed Ron running his fingers across his throat, indicating that Harry needed to 'Shut up!'

Ron jumped in to change the subject. "Hey! Guess what I heard in the twins' shop this morning? A bunch of kids came in the shop, Slytherin types. The only one I knew by name was Nott… anyway, they were talking about the Ferret. It seems that he's disappeared!" Ron said gleefully.

"What?" Harry and Ginny asked in unison.

"Yeah. He was supposed to show up at Pansy Parkinson's birthday party a couple of weeks ago, but he never did. No one's heard from him. Apparently he's pretty tight with Pugface and wouldn't just blow her off. They said Malfoy Manor's deserted, and his mother's gone too."

"Wow! I wonder what that means," Harry said.

"I bet he went off to be a Death Eater," Ron speculated.

"Ronald Weasley, stop it right now. I won't have my children gossiping idly and speculating about other peoples' misfortunes. I don't care what your feelings are towards that boy, it's not right," blustered Mrs. Weasley.

Ron eyed his mother suspiciously and thought for a moment. "Hang on… **you** know what happened to them, don't you? Did he become a Death Eater? Did he kill his mother? I hear they make you do horrible things to prove your allegiance…"

"RON! That's enough! Finish your lunch and go de-gnome the garden. I'm warning you… not another word!"

At first Harry thought Ron was going to protest this punishment, but it seemed his friend knew when he should not cross his Mum. Yet another Weasley meal ended in tense silence. And to think, Harry thought it would be dull without the twins around.

"Come on Ron, I'll de-gnome with you for a while. Coming Gin?" Harry said getting up from the table.

"Sure, I'll help Mum clean up first though," Ginny replied.

Harry and Ron busied themselves in the garden spinning and chucking gnomes. This was a favorite chore of Harry's. He wasn't sure it was an effective way to deal with the gnomes, because sometimes they seemed to enjoy it as much as he did, but it was great fun.

"Ron, what happened at the Ministry? Why did you shut me up?" Harry remembered.

"Oh, it was bad Harry. The fine was really steep; Mum and Dad had to use the money they were putting aside to buy Ginny a decent broom."

"Ginny's really good though, she'll make the team no matter what kind of broom she flies," replied Harry.

"I know that and you know that. We just have to convince Ginny," Ron agreed.

"Convince me of what?" Ginny asked as she grabbed her first gnome and chucked it with gusto.

"Nothing," Harry and Ron said it unison.

"Fine! Keep your secrets. Prats!" Ginny grumbled, chucking another gnome really far. The girl was really freakishly strong.

The three of them happily continued de-gnoming together for the next hour. They had decided to put off Quidditch until after dinner. Harry and Ron were eventually able to coax Ginny into a better mood. Harry began to feel The Bower calling him; it felt as though his body needed to be there.

"I'll see you guys later," Harry said suddenly, his voice dark and tense. He turned to leave without further explanation.

"Wait, Harry," Ginny stopped him. "Mum said dinner will be later than usual today. I'll come get you when it's ready, okay?"

"Sure, Ginny. Thanks," Harry turned and left.

Once Harry was out of earshot, Ron turned to Ginny. "He's completely forgotten it's his birthday today, hasn't he?"

"I think he has!" Ginny giggled. "Come on, we have lots of work to do!"

Later that evening, Ginny went to The Bower to fetch Harry.

"Harry! May I come up?" Ginny called for the ground below the bower.

"Yeah, I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me."

"No. It's just that the twins are coming to dinner, and they couldn't leave their shop before now." It wasn't exactly a lie. Ginny climbed up into The Bower, and she smiled when she saw Harry sprawled comfortably in the hammock, reading a book.

"You're reading my book! I was wondering if you would. What do you think?"

"Yes, I was curious about what you said. Honestly, so far I'm quite concerned about your taste in men, but I'm withholding judgment until I've finished," Harry said grimly.

"I've never claimed to have good taste in men," Ginny said coyly. "Come on. Rip yourself away from your romance novel and let's go to dinner," she giggled.

As they walked back to The Burrow, Ginny smiled slyly. "Did Ron give you the book I asked him to?"

Harry choked a bit and cleared his throat; he never dreamt she would actually bring it up! "Yeah… er, thanks. I don't think I'd be comfortable asking Hermione to explain any of that to me!"

Ginny laughed. "Oh, I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation, though!"

"Ginny, have _you_ read that book?" Harry asked, with alarm in his voice.

"Of course! Loads of times."

"Ginny!" Harry was shocked.

"What? A girl needs to know what's what as well too, you know! It's not like Mum would ever enlighten me about these things. Besides whenever I read it, I have the most brilliant dreams afterwards!"

"Ginny!"

"What? Really, Harry! Oh… I get it. **That's** why you were so weird this morning! Woke up in a bit of a state, did you?" she tittered.

"Ginny!"

"You're really not keeping up your end of the conversation here, Potter! It's normal you know, just harmless fantasies. Unfortunately the fantasies always seem like they would be better than reality."

"Ginny, have you ever…" Harry started.

"No. Just snogging, bit of touching, but I've never been inspired to go any further. You?"

"No. I kissed Cho once, but I don't think it went very well," he said painfully. "I don't believe I'm talking to you about this. You're really easy to talk to."

"Most people think I'm difficult to talk to; I think we just understand each other, you and I."

"Yeah, I think you're right," Harry agreed.

"I don't suppose you'd tell me what you dreamt about last night?" she asked mischievously.

"Definitely not! Never!" he grimaced.

When they entered The Burrow, it was deserted and dark. "Where is everyone?" Harry asked Ginny. She shrugged. Suddenly, there was a loud pop and the room filled with flying streamers in every color, darting this way and that. People were apparating all around Harry, yelling "Surprise!" and "Happy Birthday!" He was shocked, as he'd never had any sort of birthday party before. It seemed all of the Weasleys were there, as well as Remus and Tonks.

"I forgot it was my birthday today! Thanks, everyone."

Mrs. Weasley's wonderful meal was followed by cake and presents… it was a brilliant evening.

Harry made a point of spending a considerable amount of time talking with Remus. They spoke quietly together, mostly about Remus' efforts at the Ministry to get Sirius' name cleared of being a Death Eater; at the time of his death, Sirius was still a wanted man. Remus inquired how Harry was doing and for the first time, Harry didn't say 'Fine.' He said simply that things were better now he was at The Burrow. Remus seemed greatly relieved by this news.

Later that night, Harry and Ron were rummaging through the box of 'school supplies' the twins had given Harry for a birthday present.

"This is brilliant, Harry! You have enough stuff here to make Filch's life a misery, all term!" Ron said enthusiastically.

"Spoken like a responsible Prefect," Ginny's voice came from her darkened room. She had already gone to bed, but had left her door open and was occasionally contributing to Harry and Ron's conversation.

"Do I look like Hermione to you? I plan to take some revenge on Filch this year; he was a complete bastard last year. Now that the twins are gone, we have a reputation to maintain."

"You talk tough now but once Hermione gets a hold of you, you'll cave!" Harry laughed at his friend.

Ron was very offended. "What are you saying?"

"Whipped!" The taunt came from Ginny's room, and Harry collapsed in snickers.

Ron rose and his spine stiffened in mock indignation. "I really don't like the way this new alliance between the two of you is shaping up; my own sister and best mate teaming up against me! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go write Hermione and tell her to get her arse over here immediately; at least **she'll** be on my side! Good night!"

"Don't count on it!" Harry teased as Ron left, generating more giggles from Ginny's dark room.

Harry changed into his bedclothes, turned out the light and went to bed. He left the door open between his and Ginny's rooms.

"Hey Ginny?" he asked, in the darkness.

"Hmmm?"

"Thanks for my birthday present. It's really lovely there."

"You're welcome, Harry. I hope it helps."

"It already has, I can feel it. You've helped too, Ginny. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Harry. I'm so glad." Ginny was quiet for a long while. "Harry?"

"Yeah, Gin?"

"Tell me a secret."

"Across the hallway? That's not exactly private, you know."

"Oh, please. Mum and Dad are downstairs and Ron's in such a state, I guarantee we won't see him until morning."

"Okay… er, what do you want to know?"

"I don't know… how did Sirius escape from the Dementors two years ago?"

Harry chuckled. "That's really Hermione's secret to tell, but I don't think she'd mind my telling you."

So Harry began what would become a nightly ritual for the rest of the summer. He and Ginny would share their secrets in the darkness. Sometimes, Harry would talk about his adventures at school, but he also told her about his childhood at the Dursleys', and about the day Hagrid told him he was a wizard.

Ginny in turn told him about her experiences with the dairy, and her twisted relationship with Tom Riddle. She also told him stories about "Growing Up Weasley"; many of her stories were funny, but some were quite sad. Harry was surprised: as happy and idyllic as his adopted family seemed, they had gone through some difficult times as well.

Later that night, long after they had both fallen asleep Ginny awoke with a start. Someone was calling her. It didn't take her long to figure out that Harry was calling her name in his sleep; and the way he was saying it! _Oh My! He's having naughty dreams about me!_

Now, Ginny was a practical girl. She knew that when a randy teenaged boy (Harry) was dreaming about a girl (Ginny) it meant three things: (1) He was a randy teenaged boy; (2) He had noticed she was a girl; and (3) He didn't think she was terribly troll-like. She honestly didn't read anymore into it than that.

**Ginny Weasley had gotten over Harry Potter long ago. **

She had taken her feelings for him and folded them neatly into a little box she kept in the corner of her heart. This box was kept tightly locked. She had moved on. Ginny certainly couldn't blame Harry for dreaming about her either; after all Harry had played the leading role in Ginny's dreams since she was ten. Even long after she'd gotten over Harry, she continued to dream about him; just him and no one else, so she figured it was just a habit.

When Ginny woke up the next morning, Harry wasn't in his room. She spied him out the window zooming at top speed around the Quidditch pitch. She giggled. _He must have woken up in a state again!_ She resolved she wouldn't say anything to him; she'd file the information away until she needed some blackmail fodder against him. Ginny had learned many lessons from Fred and George.

When Ginny saw Harry at breakfast a bit later, he seemed dark and troubled. She recognized the look.

Harry spent the majority of the next few days in The Bower. He came out for meals and Quidditch as he'd agreed. He spent his evenings with Ron and Ginny, but he seemed more reserved and subdued than usual, almost as if he were struggling with something internally he couldn't quite control. He didn't talk about his troubles to Ginny during their conversations in the darkness and she didn't press him. She kept the conversation light and they shared only pleasant and funny things on these nights.

"Harry?" Ginny asked from the darkness. It was a particularly warm night, and they were both having trouble falling asleep.

"Yeah, Gin?"

"Guess what Ron did today?"

"Let me think… he was a great prat and called you a mean name which forced you to bogey him?" Harry guessed.

Ginny giggled. "No, he did just the opposite actually. He found our old record book. When we were kids we played chess all the time and we kept score in this little record book. I thought he'd burned it years ago, but he still has it. We played chess almost all day today… I even beat him twice."

"You can beat Ron at chess? You'll have to give me pointers."

"It was nice. It was like he actually enjoyed spending time with me."

"Gin, you've got to get over this 'pesky little sister' complex you've got; no one feels that way about you, especially Ron. Believe me, if you can beat Ron at chess he'll love playing you; I think he's always dumbing down his game when he plays me."

"He gets quite peevish when he loses; but then he wants to play again immediately. It's funny," she giggled. "Thanks, Harry."

"For what?"

"I don't know, but I'm sure you had something to do with it."

"I didn't do much. I still can't believe you can beat Ron at chess! Wow."

They were both quiet for a long while.

"Ginny?"

"Hmmm?"

"Would you come to The Bower with me tomorrow? There's something I have to tell you."

"Okay."

Another long silence, and Ginny heard Harry tossing and turning as he tried to get to sleep.

"Harry? Have you finished reading those books?"

Harry chuckled and cleared his throat. "Yeah, and I've been meaning to talk to you about that. Quite disturbing, your taste in men."

"What do you mean?" she giggled.

"Well, what does Cathy see in this Heathcliff bloke? He's just a moody, grouchy git."

"He's her soul mate Harry!" she said dreamily. "A girl can't help it if her soul mate's a moody, grouchy git!"

"But he seems to enjoy destroying people! That's just so… not NICE!"

Ginny sighed deeply. "No, it's not nice, but it is VERY romantic."

"Geez! Like I said, very disturbing."

"What about the other book?"

"Oh, well in that one there are so many blokes, I can't figure out which one it is. It can't be Mr. Collins, he's an idiot; Mr. Wickham is a slime ball; Mr. Bingley's alright though, I wouldn't mind spending some time with him."

"Keep trying, Harry," Ginny said quietly.

"Oh Ginny, no! It can't be Mr. Darcy!"

"Mmmmm." Big sigh from Ginny.

"Ginny, he's awful, he's rude and arrogant, and he thinks he's superior to **everyone** else. All you have to do is make him a Death Eater and he'd be Draco Malfoy!"

Ginny remained quiet for a few seconds pondering what Harry had said. "Well, if you put it that way, yeah! If you took the evil Death Eater factor out of Malfoy, he'd be dead sexy!"

"GINNY!" Harry practically shouted.

"Harry! Shhhhh!" Before she realized what was happening, she heard the rush of footsteps and a bounce on her bed as Harry dove onto Ginny's. There was just enough moonlight for them to see the others' faces.

"Are you insane? You can't possibly think Draco Malfoy's even the tiniest bit attractive!" Harry was sitting on her bed, whispering frantically, as he was leaning over just inches from Ginny's face.

"No, of course not! Ewww. You're the one who brought him up, not me. It's not possible to separate Malfoy from his inherent evil, so it's a completely moot point. But, I have to admit, hypothetically, a non-evil Draco Malfoy? Well, the boy has a way about him!"

"Oh Ginny, that's disgusting. I'm telling your mother on you! No! I'm telling Ron!"

"Harry, you'll do no such thing and you know it." Ginny was the tiniest bit distracted by the fact that Harry wasn't wearing his pajama top as he leaned above her. She could see his thin, but very well toned chest and abdomen glowing in the moonlight. Her mouth had gone quite dry.

"No, I won't," Harry agreed.

"Harry, go back to bed. There's a cool breeze now, I think we can sleep."

"Yeah, alright. I'll leave you to your dreams of Draco Malfoy," Harry teased.

"I **don't **dream about Draco Malfoy. Now shut it!"

"Can you imagine if the two of you got together? It would be awful… you're so red, and he's so white! Your kids would be **pink**dozens of little pink children insulting everyone and throwing Bat-Bogeys everywhere. What a mess!"

"Out, Potter!" Ginny hurled her pillow at him.

"Thanks, Gin. You always manage to make me feel better. I'm scarred for life now, but I feel better."

"'Night Harry."

"'Night Gin. Don't forget about The Bower tomorrow."

"I won't."

**Authors Note:**

I'm using a few ideas I think have become fan fiction canon, I've read them in so many stories I don't know who to give credit to. There is the sex manual with moving pictures, Ginny's too small Chudley Cannon Tee shirt, and the idea Ginny is a compulsive clothes thief (which I use later). If you were the first person to come up with these ideas thank you.

The line "The boy has a way about him" is lifted from "The Dragon Rebels" by Lee Velviet. A wonderful story that I hope gets finished soon!

Finally, there are my references to Bronte's _Wuthering Heights_ and Austen's _Pride and Prejudice_. If you haven't read them then STOP reading this crap and go get them!

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter Three: The Dog Days

The Devils Triangle  
Chapter 3: The Dog Days

The next morning, the summer heat had been cleared away by a cooling rain storm. The sky was dark and the rain pelted Harry's face as he rode his broom at dawn. He no longer went out to try to clear his head from dreams of Ginny; he'd gotten accustomed to those and enjoyed them quite a lot, but he did enjoy a morning fly.

The past few days had been very difficult for him; the blackness didn't seem to lift for long. He was overwhelmed by a sense of helplessness and futility. Harry kept thinking about the Prophecy: he would be a murderer or he would be dead. He'd decided to tell Ginny about the Prophecy; he didn't know why because he knew she wouldn't be able to help, but he had to tell someone or else he would go mad. Ginny had become his closest confidant in such a short time; he could tell her things he couldn't tell Ron and Hermione, who tended to worry about him too much. Ginny just understood, and he couldn't explain it. He'd reread the letter she sent him at Privet Drive dozens of times and it always comforted him. Especially in the last section, she seemed to innately understand Harry's connection to Voldemort.

Harry returned to The Burrow, showered and went down for breakfast. Ron and Ginny were already eating, and Ron was extremely excited about something.

"Harry, Hermione's coming finally! She'll be here tomorrow, isn't that great?"

"Yeah, brilliant!" Harry smiled, as he couldn't help but be amused at his friend's enthusiasm. Ron was obviously arse over elbows in love with her. Did he think no one noticed? Harry caught Ginny's eye and they both had to repress their snickers.

After breakfast, Harry and Ginny headed to The Bower; they'd promised Ron they'd be back for lunch and then spend the afternoon with him. Ron didn't really care; he was in a tizzy preparing for Hermione's arrival and barely noticed them leave.

The Bower was even more amazing in the rain: the spell creating the roof formed a clear umbrella over the room and the rain drops trickled noiselessly over the invisible dome.

Harry and Ginny had settled comfortably into the hammock in The Bower. They were lying side by side, and the curve of the hammock tilted their bodies slightly inwards so they could face one another to talk. It was a rather intimate position, but Harry felt completely natural being this close to Ginny; not tense or awkward at all, just right.

"Harry, when Hermione gets here can I ask her to tell me about the time she told you about 'the Birds and the Bees'?" Ginny asked enthusiastically.

"Oh, Ginny no!" Harry cringed.

"Oh please, please, pleeeeez? I have to hear it from her point of view! It must have been so funny!"

"Ginny, it's not meant to be funny! It's one of the more traumatic events in my life, and is **not** for your entertainment!"

"Oh Harry, look at your life! You've had far more traumatic events than that!"

"Not really, no," Harry pouted.

"Please Harry…" Ginny said softly, using the same look she'd used on her father since birth to get her own way. She had no idea how devastating that look was to a male non-relation, particularly a randy, teenaged male non-relation who was having very erotic dreams about her nightly. Harry caved immediately.

"Oh, alright! Just not around Ron, alright?"

Ginny grinned. "Do you actually think Ron doesn't already know? They tell each other everything you know. Except for the whole, 'I'm madly in love with you' thing, which they do keep secret from one another."

"Whatever." Harry began to realize he would never win with Ginny, so it was just better to give in early.

Ginny giggled triumphantly and snuggled down into the hammock, waiting for Harry to gather his thoughts.

Harry sighed deeply and began softly. "Do you remember that night in the Department of Mysteries, the Prophecy that Malfoy and the other Death Eaters wanted?"

"Of course. It was destroyed, right? I thought Neville dropped it and broke it."

"Yeah, and it was a prophecy about Voldemort and me. Voldemort had only heard the beginning of it and he wanted to hear the whole thing."

Ginny was quiet for a moment, and then stated, "You know what it said, don't you?"

"Dumbledore told me at the end of last term. I have to tell someone or it'll drive me mad. Ginny, promise me you won't say anything to anyone."

"You know I won't."

Harry breathed deeply and repeated the Prophecy aloud.  
_  
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives..." _

Ginny listened to the words carefully, her eyes never leaving Harry's. When he'd finished she didn't look particularly surprised. She just pondered for a moment or two.

"I think I already knew that. I think I've always known you'd be the one to destroy him."

"That's not what it says. It doesn't say I'll be successful; he may very well kill me first, and even if I'm not dead I'll still be a murderer."

"No. Ridding the world of Voldemort is not murder, not even close. We **will**find a way to kill him Harry."

"Not **we**… this isn't your fight Ginny."

"It certainly is my fight, and it's my family's fight as well. Harry, my family would do anything to see that monster destroyed for reasons that have nothing to do with you. Don't get me wrong… we all love and support you, but you're not the reason we're fighting. If Voldemort rises, do you know what happens to girls like me?"

"You'd be killed for your beliefs."

"No. My parents and brothers would all be killed, but I wouldn't. I'm too valuable as a breeder."

"What?"

"I'm a blood traitor, and proud of it. I'm rather looking forward to muddying up the precious Weasley purity someday. But if Voldemort rises, that wouldn't be allowed: I'd be captured and placed under Binding curses. I'd be a breeding slave to someone, completely controlled; I wouldn't even have enough free will to kill myself."

"That's not going to happen to you Ginny!" Harry was shocked, as he'd never heard of anything so awful. He wrapped his arms around Ginny protectively and held her close, her head resting on his shoulder.

"I know, and I have no intention of ever being taken alive. But can you see why I'm willing to fight? I want to have a life Harry. Someday I want to have a husband and a family and a career and not have to worry everyday about being attacked or killed. I'm fighting for my life here as well as yours. I'm going to be by your side through this whether you like it or not, as will my family and many others. Did Ron ever tell you about our uncles?"

"I didn't know you had uncles."

"We don't, they're dead. Mum had two brothers, Gideon and Fabian, and they were killed in the first war; it took five Death Eaters to kill them. Fred and George are named after them, in a way. Don't ever tell my mother this isn't her fight, because she'd eat you alive."

Harry and Ginny lay silently, holding each other for a long time. It could have been an hour, maybe more.

"What am I gonna do, Gin?" Harry finally asked.

"You're going to tell Ron and Hermione."

"I know, but I hate doing it. They'll just worry about me."

"Of course they'll worry about you, but the three of you will figure this out. Don't you see that? When the three of you work together, you're unbeatable."

"I suppose you're right, and I have you now too," Harry said giving her a squeeze.

"That you do," she smiled to herself.

"Let's not tell them right away, give them a couple of weeks to enjoy their summer together. As soon as Hermione gets ahold of this, she'll be all about research and reading."

"Okay."

"Let's head back now… I haven't seen you whip Ron's arse at chess yet. Tell you what, just to make it interesting I'll give you a Galleon every time you beat him today!"

"You've got yourself a deal, Potter!" she laughed.

Nothing could have prepared Harry for the sight of his two friends playing wizards' chess against each other. Their games moved quickly and were vicious; they showed absolutely no mercy for one another. They fueled themselves with a seemingly endless supply of sugar quills and chocolate frogs and the more candy they consumed, the more bloodthirsty the games became. They moved their pieces so quickly Harry couldn't even follow the strategy. It was so rapid in fact, there was often more than one battle taking place on the board at any given time. At one point, Harry had to cover his ears from the cacophony of Ron's chess pieces growling and throwing curses at Ginny's chess pieces. The only word Harry could think of to describe it was 'bloodbath.'

"Next time we're facing a room full of Death Eaters, remind me to sugar you two up," Harry said wryly and was rewarded with feral glares from both Ginny and Ron. Harry slinked back behind his potions text; he was studying because he wanted to honestly tell Hermione he'd started his assignments when she arrived at The Burrow tomorrow.

Ginny suddenly shrieked! She was bouncing in her chair, waving her arms, and gyrating in such a way that Harry wasn't sure it was entirely proper for him to be watching it.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"THAT is her bloody victory dance," Ron seethed through his teeth. "If I'd remembered about that bloody dance, I'd never have found that bloody book and started playing this bloody game with her again!"

"See, Harry! I told you he gets peevish when he loses!" Ginny finished her dance and collapsed back into her chair with a satisfied grin. Ron had already begun setting up the board again for the next game.

Ginny and Ron continued happily massacring one another for the remainder of the afternoon. By the time Mrs. Weasley called them to dinner, Ginny had managed to win several times. Harry subtly slipped three Galleons into her hand as they went to the table… he didn't think it would improve Ron's humor if he knew about their arrangement.

The next morning Harry went to The Bower alone. Telling Ginny about the Prophecy had lifted some of the burden from him, but he was still reluctant to involve his friends in his plans. After the events in the Department of Mysteries, he was having trouble accepting the necessity of them risking their lives as well, and he just needed time to think.

"Harry, you have to come and see this… it's too good!" Ginny said as she scampered up The Bower ladder just before lunch.

"What is it?" Harry looked up from the book he was reading, while lying in the hammock.

Ginny unceremoniously threw herself onto the hammock, and Harry scrambled to make room for her.

"Oof, watch the knees Weasley! You're going to damage me! Hang on, why are you settling in? You just said we had to go see something. And… you're all wet! You're soaking me!"

"You're just full of complaints today, aren't you? You've got a half-naked wet girl cuddling with you in a hammock. Life's rough, Potter!"

"Well, maybe if you were wearing **only**the bathing suit it would be alright, but you've got that baggy tee shirt covering all the good bits. So actually, you're just a nuisance really!"

"Just shut it, and let me tell you what happened and then we can go." Harry gave her a mock-aggravated 'well get on with it' look and she sneered back at him. "Ron and I were down in the swimming pond, when Hermione showed up early."

"Hermione's here? Let's go!" Harry started to sit up but Ginny pushed him back down.

"Just listen! Hermione came down to the dock to say 'Hello' while we were in the water, and as soon as Ron saw her, he hopped out of the water onto the dock. Harry, you should have seen the look on Hermione's face when she saw him! It was like he was a piece of meat and she hadn't eaten for a month! She practically drooled! Personally, I can't see it, but Ron must have filled out recently or something. So she was standing there gaping at him and not saying a word. Then Ron grinned, you know that smile he has just for her, and said: 'Blimey Hermione! If I stared at your chest like that, you'd scratch my eyes out!'"

Harry gasped, and then laughed. "He didn't say that!"

"He did! I swear. That snapped her out of her trance and she looked up at him, blushing. Harry, it was a blush worthy of a Weasley! Then she went all Hermione saying 'Quite right, so sorry, very rude of me blah, blah, blah.' She started running back to the house. Ron yelled after her 'Don't I get a hug?' and she said without turning back around. 'Later, once you dry off.' Once she was gone, he asked me 'Did you just see that?' I nodded. He asked: 'Does that mean what I think it does.' And I said 'Probably.' Then Ron smiled like Christmas had come early and said: 'Well that changes everything!' Then he ran after her, and I ran to get you. I don't know what we'll find back at the house, but I bet it'll be good!"

Harry was gaping at her in shock. "Wow! Let's go!"

What they found back at The Burrow was Hermione in a colossal strop. It seemed Ron had followed Hermione to her room. She had chosen to be adventurous and was going to sleep in the twins' old room, but only after Mrs. Weasley had assured her she had personally made it safe to inhabit. Ron had dried himself off, but was still wearing only his swimming trunks. He kept circling around Hermione, and putting himself in her line of vision; she kept blushing and turning away, but he would just do it again. He really enjoyed making her blush, and Hermione was becoming extremely agitated.

"Ron, will you stop getting in my way? I'm trying to unpack!"

"Hermione, I just want a hug!" he whined.

"You're not being very huggable right now, Ron! In fact, what I want to do is kill you!"

Ginny and Harry had been watching from the bedroom door for several seconds. Ginny whispered quietly to Harry: "No finesse! I should have known he'd mess this up. Only my brother can send a girl from barely containable lust into a homicidal rage in a matter of seconds."

Harry chuckled, and then mustered up his best brotherly, protective voice. "Ron, leave her alone," he said entering the room. "Hi, Hermione."

Relief spread over Hermione's face as she rushed into Harry's waiting arms. He held her tightly and kissed her on the forehead. "It's good to see you," he said sincerely. Hermione looked a bit surprised by Harry's unusual affection, but very pleased as well.

Meanwhile, Ron was not at all pleased. "Oh, sure! **Him** you hug! He's Harry Bleedin' Potter! **He** gets a hug!"

Hermione ignored Ron's grumbling and pulled away from her friend. "Harry, you're all wet!"

Harry's attention had shifted back to Ron whose arms were flailing as he ranted. Harry stepped away from Hermione and grabbed one of Ron's arms, so he could get another look at the many round scars that marked both of his arms and his chest.

Ron stopped mid-rant. "Oh yeah, my scars. Aren't they cool?" Harry didn't think that they were cool. His face darkened suddenly and his jaw tensed. "I've already told you, it's not your fault mate," Ron said quickly.

"Yes, it is. I'm sorry I was so stupid."

"I've always got your back, Harry."

"Thanks." He glanced at Hermione, who was suddenly wringing her hands near her collarbone. "You've got one too?" he asked.

"A scar? Yes."

"Let me see it."

"Harry, I can't! It's..." Hermione ran her fingers over her left breast, just above her heart.

"Let me see it," he insisted again, "please."

Hermione rolled her eyes and motioned to Ginny to get Ron out of the room.

"Come on Ron, let's go get you dressed. Then I'm sure Hermione will hug you," Ginny said tugging at her brother.

"Why do I have to leave? Why can't I see her scar too?"

"Because Harry wants to see her scar… you want to see her chest!" Ginny pushed Ron into the hall and closed the door behind them.

"Harry's a bloke too, y'know! Hey, how'd he get wet anyway?" Ron's voice faded away down the hallway.

Hermione and Harry snickered as Ron left the room.

"If he weren't so infuriating, he'd be adorable," she said distractedly.

Harry grinned widely. "I guess, but face it: you think he's adorable BECAUSEhe's infuriating. Have you ever noticed that he's the only one who can infuriate you?"

"Shut up Harry. This is as much of a peek as you're ever going to get." Hermione had unbuttoned the first three buttons of her blouse and pulled it aside to reveal a wide pink scar running downward over the upper part of her cleavage and disappearing into her bra. Hermione noticed Harry's pained look. "It's not so bad, and it's already faded loads. It should be invisible by next summer," Hermione smiled gently as she closed her blouse.

"I'm sorry… no, don't tell me it's not my fault. Please, let me say this. You tried to stop me and to get me to slow down and consider it might have been a trap. If I hadn't been so stubborn, I would have opened Sirius' gift. And if I'd listened to you, I might have remembered the two way mirror Sirius had given me. I would have tried that first. But I ignored you, and in fact, I had some rather rude thoughts about you." 

Hermione smirked. "I seem to remember having a few rather rude thoughts about you as well."

Harry sat on the bed and pulled Hermione down to sit next to him, tenderly holding her hand. "I need you to understand what you do to me."

Hermione's eyes went wide with shock and a little terror. Harry realized she had misunderstood.

Harry gasped. "No… oh Gods… no... That's not what I meant! It came out wrong, honestly. Ron would murder me!" Harry laughed nervously and Hermione bit back a snicker. "Let me try again," Harry said cautiously.

"You know how Ron says when he's doing something he shouldn't, or not doing something he should, he hears his mother's voice? Well, I don't have a mother's voice, I have you. You're the voice in my head telling me I'm being reckless and telling me to slow down. It sometimes becomes a bit hard to take when you're saying all the same things to my face that you're also saying in my head. **Especially** when I want to ignore them."

Hermione laughed. "So you're saying I'm your conscience? That's a big job, being Harry Potter's conscience."

"No pressure," Harry smirked. "I just wanted you to know that."

"Harry, how are you feeling?" Hermione asked.

"I'm a mess, but getting better I think."

Hermione looked at Harry quizzically. "What?" Harry asked.

"It's just that you're so… open. I've never seen you like this before."

Harry laughed. "It's Ginny. She's cracking me like a nut, but don't worry. Ron won't let me get too soft; he won't put up with it."

Hermione's eyebrows rose curiously. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"Who, me and Ron? We're just friends."

"Harry!"

"Ginny and I are good friends."

"And?" Hermione wasn't going to let it drop.

"And I'm a _mess_! Half the time we spend together, I'm trying not to cry all over her. Not exactly boyfriend material! Besides she has a boyfriend and she's very much over me."

"But?" Hermione persisted.

"Oh Gods! But what?"

"But there's potential?" she asked.

Harry thought for a moment. "Yeah, I suppose there's some potential there." Harry was tired of this line of questioning and decided to give Hermione some of her own medicine. "What about you and the naked sun God?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What about us?"

"You know he's mad about you."

"No Harry, I don't know that and I won't unless I hear it come from his lips."

"Well, you might have a bit of a wait ahead of you. Our boy's a bit thick about such things, not that I'm one to talk."

"Thanks Harry, I hadn't noticed that!" said Hermione, with a load of sarcasm in her voice.

"Let's go get some lunch, before Ron thinks I'm feeling you up. Please Hermione, give the boy a hug! I'll never hear the end of it otherwise."

The hot August days began to pass more quickly and Harry and his friends spent much of their time at the swimming pond cooling off. Harry was feeling better and spent less and less time in The Bower, although a casual observer may have deduced that Harry's desire to see Ginny in a bathing costume was greater than his desire for mental health.

One day, the girls were sunning themselves on the dock at the pond, while Ron and Harry were swimming never far out of ear shot.

"Harry what was in that owl you sent?" Ginny called, sounding innocent. _Never a good sign when Ginny uses her innocent voice, _Harry thought.

"Which owl's that, Gin? I've been sending lots of them lately. I sent one to Neville and one to Luna, inquiring about their summer and telling them what a pest you are."

"No, not those… the one you sent this morning, addressed to Fred and George?"

"Oh that! That was nothing."

"It wasn't nothing! What was in it?" she insisted.

"I'm not an open book to you Weasley! I can keep secrets if I want to, and I can write your brothers if I want to."

"Not three days before my birthday, you can't! I'm just warning you now: if I end up with green hair or a moustache I'll have a Bat-Bogey ready with your name on it!"

"Ginny, I'm crushed! How could you ever think so ill of me?" Harry said with a huge grin and a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Are you going to tell me?" she asked, with a threat in her voice.

"No," Harry said simply.

"Hey Hermione, would you tell us about the time you told Harry about 'the Birds and the Bees'?"

"Oh, bloody hell!" Harry groaned.

"Well… I… ummm… " Hermione stuttered.

"Oh, excellent! I love this story!" Ron exclaimed as he jumped out of the water to hear better.

"You knew?" Harry asked Ron.

"Of course! She came running to me right after it happened! Completely melted down! It was brilliant, never seen anything like it! Why didn't you just ask me?"

Harry shrugged. "I didn't want you to think I was ignorant. I'm used to Hermione thinking I'm ignorant."

"Come on Hermione!" Ron urged. "Tell us."

"Why is there never a Death Eater attack when you need one?" Harry said, as he swam out to the middle of the pond so he wouldn't hear the story. He was contemplating activating the emergency portkey that still hung around his neck, because at least it would get him out of there. At that moment, Harry noticed a large grey owl swoop down and land on the dock. Ron retrieved the message and motioned for Harry.

"It's for you, mate," he called.

Harry returned to the dock and read the owl. He felt his insides crumble; the delicate emotional balance he'd been building burst like a house of exploding snaps cards. Harry dropped the letter and ran.

"What's it say Ron?" Ginny asked.

Ron read the letter. "Nothing bad… good news, really. It's from Professor Lupin. The Ministry of Magic has officially cleared Sirius Black of all charges. His estate has been cleared for distribution and Harry's the beneficiary. He's to go to the will reading at Grimmauld Place on August 31st, the day before we go back to school. Why would that upset him?" Ron asked Ginny.

Ginny sighed. "He hasn't dealt with Sirius' death yet; I thought he had."

"Aren't you going to go after him Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"No," Ginny said simply.

"But Ginny he needs…" Hermione insisted.

"Drop it, Hermione!" Ginny said harshly. "I only go when he asks."

Ginny met her friend's eyes. Hermione's face softened as her gaze shifted to the path where Harry had just gone and she nodded. Ginny followed her gaze and saw Harry return into view.

"Ginny?" he called mournfully.

"Now I go." 

Ginny followed Harry back to The Bower. By the time she got there several seconds after him, he was already in a rage, and also on the brink of tears.

"I killed Sirius and now I'm going to get another bloody vault full of gold for my efforts!"

"You didn't kill Sirius. Bellatrix Lestrange killed him," Ginny said calmly.

"He was there because I was stupid and arrogant and thought I could resolve everything myself…" The dam finally burst. Ginny wrapped her arms around him and held him while he cried. His pain seemed to be coming from such a deep place that Ginny wondered if Harry had ever really cried before. Then she realized that he probably hadn't… he'd never had anyone to comfort him before, no one who would just hold him and allow him to let his guard down. To Harry, just being touched was a new experience. Ginny lead him to sit sideways in the hammock, and she continued to hold him.

"I'm so sorry Gin; I didn't want to do this to you," he managed to stammer.

"Listen to me, Harry Potter. This is where you come to cry, do you understand me?"

She held him for a long time, muttering soothing nonsense and gently rubbing his back. She gave him the towel she'd wrapped around her waist to dry his tears. After a long while his breath became regular again and he relaxed against her. They were both wearing only their bathing suits and she felt Harry's hand begin to mimic on her bare stomach the same gentle motions she was rubbing on his back. Before she could fully register Harry's shift in mood, his lips were covering hers and he was kissing her hungrily. Two voices began screaming in Ginny's head, but they were screaming completely opposite instructions. She finally obeyed the one that was screaming louder.

"Harry, stop! Please!" Harry released her immediately and a look of horror crossed his face when he realized that Ginny had tears in her eyes. She jumped out of the hammock to put some distance between them.

"I'm sorry Ginny… I just thought… I wasn't thinking. Oh Gods! I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. I just can't be that girl for you Harry."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you want a comfort snog, and Harry if anyone in the world deserves one it's you. But I can't be the one to give it to you."

"Is that all you think it is?" Harry asked honestly.

"Do you? Do you know how you feel about me?"

Harry thought for a moment, and then answered honestly. "No, I don't know what it is I'm feeling. I guess I don't have anything to compare it to. Ginny, did I just ruin what we have? I can't lose that," he said desperately.

"No Harry, we're fine. If I did anything to mislead you, I'm sorry," she said quickly and sincerely.

"You've been nothing but a friend Gin."

Ginny smiled with relief. "So, we're okay then?" Harry nodded but the relief didn't reach his eyes. "Then why do you look so miserable?" she asked.

"Am I crap at it? Tell me the truth," Harry asked warily.

"Pardon?" Ginny had no idea what he was asking.

Harry rolled his eyes in self-disgust. "Every time I kiss a girl she cries. I think I'm crap at it."

"Oh Harry!" _Poor Harry, nothing's easy for you! _

"Well, am I?" he insisted.

"I don't think so, but I was a little involved with my own issues to pay attention to… your technique."

"Oh," he was crestfallen.

"Okay, stand up. Try it again." It broke her heart to see him looking at her like this.

"What?" Harry's eyes popped open.

"I said stand up and kiss me! You deserve one decent kiss, and I promise not to cry."

"But…"

"Potter! Kiss me! Now!" Ginny commanded.

"Okay."

Harry took Ginny in his arms; suddenly, he was very aware they were both barely dressed. He pressed his lips to hers, gently at first, then with more urgency. Ginny's arms wrapped around his neck and her fingers entwined themselves in his hair. Kissing Ginny was like everything else with Ginny: effortless, natural and right. Harry's tongue darted across Ginny's lips requesting access and it was immediately granted. Harry deepened the kiss, his arms tightening around her, bringing their bodies into contact, their chests separated only by Ginny's thin bathing suit top. A soft satisfied moan came from the back of Ginny's throat and Harry took that as permission to intensify the kiss a bit more. He reluctantly pulled away only when they both needed to come up for air. Harry was quite pleased that he had to hold Ginny steady for several seconds until she regained her footing.

Ginny blinked several times, and breathed deeply for a few seconds before looking Harry in the eyes.

"There's nothing wrong with the way you kiss, Harry Potter. You just need to work on your timing."

Harry grinned widely and she returned it.

The next couple of days were a little awkward for Harry and Ginny, but they were both determined to retain their close friendship. If anything they became closer then they were before; Ginny spent more time in The Bower with Harry, reading or talking. They both managed to keep their hormones in check; what they had growing between them was too important to compromise, and they both felt that.

Soon, Ginny's birthday was upon them. Harry wasn't allowed to leave The Burrow so Fred and George had purchased Ginny's present for him. Fred had delivered it to The Burrow late one night after she'd gone to bed. Ginny had been after him mercilessly to get the secret out of him; she was sure he was about to pull some awful trick on her. Harry was very proud of the restraint he showed in resisting the many charms she used to manipulate him. He was very excited about the present, but also very nervous. He'd never gotten anyone a present like this before, but he wanted to thank Ginny for everything she'd done for him.

Mrs. Weasley's birthday dinner was brilliant as always, and everyone gathered around after dinner while Ginny opened her presents. When Ginny picked up the small box from Harry, he stood nervously and paced over to a spot next to the fireplace. _Merlin, I hope she doesn't read the note aloud! _

Ginny open the box and pulled out the note and read it: _(silently, thank Gods!)_

Dear Ginny,

I hope you'll accept this gift from me. There's nothing I can give you that is equal to everything you've given me. This is just a small token of thanks, because I truly believe you saved my life this summer. I'll cherish our friendship always. I'll stop being mushy now; if Ron ever gets hold of this I'll never hear the end of it.

Happy Birthday.  
Love, Harry

Ginny looked up at Harry with tears in her eyes; she passed the note to her mother who became similarly weepy. Harry was glad that the note didn't get passed any further.

Ginny looked into the box he'd given her, only to find it was empty.

"It's over here," Harry said softly as he pulled his invisibility cloak up revealing a distinctively shaped package leaning against the fireplace.

"Harry, you didn't!" Ginny gasped.

He picked it up and laid it on the table in front of her. Ginny removed the wrapping.

Ron gasped. "Blimey Harry, that's a Nimbus 5000, top of the line!"

"And it's new…" Ginny said in shock.

Harry cleared his throat. "They say the Nimbus is better for a Chaser than a Firebolt; they corner better and they're more stable, easier to fly without your hands."

Ginny launched herself at him and gave him a kiss that was probably a bit less chaste than it should have been, but Harry didn't mind. Even the snickers from the twins were just a minor inconvenience at the moment.

"Thank you, Harry!"

"You're welcome, Ginny."

"Alright you lot, let's get this mess cleaned up!" Mrs. Weasley bustled around distracting attention from the two of them.

"Will you fly with me in the morning?" Harry asked.

"Definitely!" she said eagerly.

Ginny started accompanying Harry on his dawn flies. Ginny flying on a proper broom was a sight to behold… she was fearless! She could keep up with Harry on his Firebolt and quite often push him to go beyond what he thought were his own limits. Harry and Ron began to work in earnest to train with Ginny for the upcoming Quidditch season. They quickly discovered that Ginny was a natural Chaser; she had an extremely strong arm and pinpoint accurate aim.

The remainder of the summer holiday sped by much too quickly. Soon, it was the end of August and the next day they would floo to Grimmauld Place to attend Sirius' will reading before returning to school on September 1. The day Harry dreaded had finally come; he had to tell Ron and Hermione about the Prophecy.

The four of them relaxed in the lounge of The Burrow after dinner that night. Harry enjoyed watching Ron watching Hermione. Ron's prediction of 'that changes everything' had proved to be less than accurate. The only visible change in their relationship Harry could see was that Ron allowed himself to get caught staring at her now. He had discovered this was a very effective way to make her blush and Ron loved making Hermione blush! When asked, Ron would still insist he and Hermione were just good friends.

Harry wondered what Ron was thinking during all the time he spent staring at her. Suddenly, an image of Hermione flashed in Harry's head. She was naked, in the shower and she was spreading lather… _Oh merciful Merlin! What the hell was that? Was that Ron's thoughts? It couldn't possibly be mine. I would never picture Hermione like that! Ginny, absolutely but Hermione, never! Wait a minute Ginny naked in the shower…………………………………… Get a grip, Potter! What just happened? Was that Legilimency? I can't do that! _

"Harry, are you all right?" Hermione asked. Harry realized he was holding his head in his hands and probably had an extremely pained expression on his face.

"I'm fine, just a bit of a headache; must be stress. Look Ron and Hermione, there's something I need to tell you." _That's brilliant! Blame the Prophecy, they'll buy that. _Harry looked at Ginny and she smiled at him encouragingly. He continued on, telling them about the contents of the Prophecy. 

"What does that part mean about 'the power the Dark Lord knows not'? Did Dumbledore tell you what that is?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, and no, Dumbledore said nothing. We have to figure it out, and I was hoping you'd help me with that." 

"Absolutely!" assured Ron.

"Of course!" promised Hermione. Although his friends quickly jumped in to demonstrate their allegiance and support, Harry knew they were both disturbed by the implications of the Prophecy, and were trying to put on a good face.

"But not tonight, I don't want to think about it yet. Okay?"

"Did you already know about this Gin?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Harry told me earlier this summer," she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, well that explains it," Ron said with a smirk.

"What?" Harry asked.

"It explains why you're telling us and asking for our help upfront. Ginny's already kicked your arse and knocked some sense into you about trying to go it alone. Well done, Gin," Ron chuckled.

"Something like that," Harry said. "Actually she told me about Binding curses and how they could be used against her if Voldemort rose to power; that made me begin to realize this wasn't just my fight. We **have** to get this right."

"We will, mate. Just look at Hermione's face… she's already got the wheels turning upstairs! She'll have it all figured out by morning!" Ron laughed.

"Ron!" Hermione blushed.

"Hang on… speaking of Binding curses! Seamus told me that all the girls in Slytherin house protect themselves against them by… you know… NOT being virgins!" Ron said, with a gleam in his eye.

"Ron, that's ridiculous! Don't you know better than to believe anything Seamus says?" Hermione exclaimed.

"It makes sense, doesn't it? Their fathers are a bunch of evil Death Eaters who wouldn't think twice about trading their daughters around for favors!" 

"Ron really, I think you're going a bit far on that one," Ginny agreed with Hermione.

"Does not being a virgin really protect against the curse?" Harry asked.

"Not really. I mean, it does protect against a Binding curse. But if someone wants to control you, there are plenty of worse ways they can do it," Ginny said.

"Oh," Harry said.

"It's not a reason to lose one's virginity over, if that's what you're thinking," Ginny said to Harry with a smirk.

"No, of course not," Harry blushed.

"Remind me to give Seamus a detention when we get back to school!" Hermione huffed.

**  
Authors Note: **

Okay, my Draco junkies, our favorite ferret will be making his entrance in the next chappy! Hold onto your knickers, it's going to get "complicated"!

I'd like to take a moment to thank my beta Jocjarmom for her wonderful work improving my writing and giving me funny little bits that I then take credit for! And also for going above and beyond the call of duty by applying to be a beta on Checkmated. We promise that chapters will be coming faster from now on.

Please read and review, I love hearing from you.

The concept of Binding Curses I got from _"The Price of Love" by RogueSugah. _It's a fabulous story that I recommend highly. Thank You. I used the concept quite differently here, but that's where the original idea came from.


	5. Chapter Four: Saving Draco Malfoy

The Devil's Triangle

Chapter 4: Saving Draco Malfoy

Harry finished packing his trunk and took a quick look around his room to make sure nothing was forgotten.

"Ready, Gin?" he called across the hall.

"Yes, let's go." Ginny came out of her room and at the sight of her, Harry felt the breath leave his body. Ginny was wearing a sapphire blue sundress that suited her figure perfectly; she was gorgeous.

"Wow! What's the occasion?"

"I don't know. I reckon it'll be a sad day, so I just want to brighten it up a bit," she said.

"Well, I figure if Sirius is looking down on us today and sees you, he'll come running back out through the Veil just to flirt with you," Harry said grinning.

"Harry!"

"Is that the dress you wore to the wedding with Dean?"

"Yes, I probably won't get another chance to wear it this season. Let's go."

Harry and Ginny were Flooing to Grimmauld Place to attend Sirius' will reading. Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley would meet them there later for dinner and they would leave for the Hogwarts Express from Grimmauld Place in the morning.

"Gin, can two people Floo at once?" Harry asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

Ginny giggled. "I don't see why not, might be a bit cosy; let's give it a whirl!"

Harry and Ginny tumbled out of the Floo into the kitchen at #12 Grimmauld Place laughing. Harry rotated their bodies so that he fell, not so accidentally, on top of Ginny. "Now that's the way to travel!" he said grinning, as he pinned her beneath his weight, making no attempt to get up.

"Harry… get off me you perv! This is serious; we're here for a will reading!"

"Yes, but Sirius would be the first person to encourage me to take advantage of the position I find myself in!"

A caustic voice from above sneered. "I'm very pleased you're having a fruitful summer Potter, but the rest of us are trying to hold down our lunch."

Harry burst up off the floor and immediately drew his wand. "Malfoy!"

"Take it easy Harry," chuckled the friendly voice of Remus Lupin behind him.

"Remus! What's going on here?" Harry spat lowering his wand slightly. It was then he noticed a third person at the large wooden table, a regal and elegant blond woman he knew to be Malfoy's mother.

"Harry, I'd like to introduce Narcissa Malfoy," Remus spoke in a tone of voice that warned Harry not to say anything rash. "Mrs. Malfoy has placed herself and Draco under the protection of the Order of the Phoenix; they've been in residence here most of the summer."

Harry swallowed his indignation, barely managing to restrain himself from having a fit at the stupidity of letting Malfoys into Grimmauld Place. He smiled stiffly and reached across the table to offer his hand to Mrs. Malfoy. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Malfoy."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Harry. Draco has mentioned you on occasion," she said with cool purr and a slight smirk reminiscent of her son.

Harry suddenly remembered he'd left Ginny lying on the floor. He turned in time to see Malfoy sweep Ginny onto her feet in one strong elegant movement. He then helped her remove the cloak she had worn to protect her summer dress from the Floo ash. Harry watched Malfoy's eyes subtly appreciate Ginny's curves which were enhanced by the fitted dress. Harry had liked her outfit very much before leaving The Burrow, but now he thought she was a bit underdressed.

"Thank you… Draco," Ginny said choking slightly on his name.

"You're very welcome, Ginny," Draco replied much more smoothly, holding her gaze in his own with a smirk.

"Ginny, I'm sorry I didn't help you up myself." Ginny tore her gaze away from Draco and stepped towards Harry.

"That's all right Harry, Draco was there to rescue me," she said with grin and an incredulous flash of her eyes. "Hello Remus, Mrs. Malfoy. Are you having a pleas…"

"Is Professor Dumbledore here yet?" Harry interrupted.

"Yes, he's in Sirius' study I believe," Remus answered.

"Come on Ginny," Harry grabbed Ginny's hand abruptly and tugged her behind him as he quickly led her from the room.

"Harry, what's wrong with you? Stop dragging me around!" Ginny exclaimed once they were safely out of the kitchen and yanked her hand from his death grip.

"How could they let Malfoys into the Headquarters?" he hissed.

"It is odd, I must admit. I'm sure Professor Dumbledore had his reasons, Harry."

"Yes Harry, she's quite correct. Miss Weasley, you're looking lovely today; perhaps you'd like to retire to the kitchen while Harry, Remus and I discuss Sirius' estate." Harry stiffened as Professor Dumbledore spoke from behind him. He had no intention of going through this without Ginny.

"Hello Professor. Ginny, I'd like you to stay with me if you don't mind."

"Alright Harry," Ginny said, slightly surprised.

"Professor Dumbledore, there's nothing you can say to me that Ginny can't hear. She stays with me."

Professor Dumbledore merely raised his eyebrow with an amused twinkle in his eyes and followed them into his office.

The actual will reading was far less traumatic then Harry had envisioned. Remus had been appointed his new guardian and the two of them had to review and sign many parchments. After an hour, poor Ginny was shifting restlessly in her seat and looked like she was struggling to stay awake.

"Gin, why don't you go? I'll catch up with you in a bit," Harry whispered to her chuckling.

"Oh, thank Merlin! I guess I'm not a 'sit quietly' kind of girl!" she giggled as she scruffed his hair and practically bolted from the room.

Ginny got herself a Butterbeer from the kitchen. After discovering that Ron, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley still had not yet arrived, she headed for the library to find something to read. The Black family library had an extensive selection of books, including many on the Dark Arts which could only be obtained from the 'Restricted Section' of the library at Hogwarts. Ginny found a book on Binding Curses. Although she'd introduced Harry to the concept, she really didn't know much about them and was curious… after all, it couldn't hurt to be informed. She curled up in a chair and began reading.

"Boyfriend finally let you out of his sight, did he?" Ginny cringed at the sound of Malfoy's taunting voice. He was ensconced comfortably in a chair in the corner and had apparently been watching her since she'd entered the room. Ginny merely sneered at him and returned to her reading. Malfoy tilted his head to read the title on the spine of her book; his face registered amused surprise by her reading selection but he said nothing and returned to his own book.

Ginny surreptitiously glanced at Malfoy on occasion. He looked positively scruffy by Malfoy standards; barefoot, wearing only blue jeans and a black tee shirt. His hair was a mess and looked like it had been slept on. Overall he looked quite yummy… ahem… not that Ginny noticed these things.

Draco had watched the Weaslette enter the library; she didn't seem to notice him. _When did she grow up?_ However, Draco vaguely seemed to recall one of the reasons she'd been able to hit him with that nasty hex last spring was because he'd been so busy noticing other parts of her anatomy that he wasn't paying attention to her wand hand.

Draco had been stuck in this awful house all summer; not allowed out or to Owl his friends. His only company had been his mother, who had not been in a humour to listen to any of his opinions, and a band of annoying, self-deluded 'do-gooders' who he vigorously attempted to avoid. He was desperate for company, but not desperate enough for the company of a Weasley. One more day and he could return to his friends at school.

Would they still be his friends? He didn't know. Slytherins were unpredictable about such things; preservation of power generally outweighed friendship. Parkinson would be there for him, he was sure of that, or at least right after she strangled him for missing her birthday. He'd made one witty comment to the Weaslette and she just made face at him, a rather cute face actually; apparently she wasn't in the mood to spar. She was reading a book about Binding Curses… an interesting choice; maybe Potter had a kinky side, although he sincerely doubted it.

"Hey Gin, I'm done." Harry came into the library and noticed the two of them reading on opposite ends of the library. "You two playing nicely together?" he asked with a smirk.

"Hi, Harry."

"Gin, you want to go somewhere else?" Harry asked. This was probably the last time he and Ginny could be alone together and he certainly didn't want to spend one second of it with Malfoy.

"Sure. Upstairs?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes and snorted a laugh as they left the room, but they ignored him.

They settled themselves comfortably in the room Ginny and Hermione would share that night.

"Did Malfoy annoy you?" Harry asked.

"Surprisingly, no. Just one snarky comment, then he ignored me. I'd say that's as pleasant as one can get with him."

Harry chuckled. "I expect you're right. What was the snarky comment?"

"Oh! It was: 'Boyfriend finally let you out of his sight, did he?'" Ginny did such an uncanny imitation of Malfoy's drawl that Harry laughed outright.

"Sorry about that. I probably shouldn't have mauled you in the kitchen. People will get the wrong idea," Harry winced slightly.

"I don't care what Malfoy thinks; he probably thinks we're up here snogging our brains out right now. Let him," Ginny said casually.

"I'm going to miss being alone with you."

"Me too. It's been nice, hasn't it? We'll figure something out."

"Ginny, the memory charm on The Bower… will I forget about The Bower? I don't want to forget anything that happened this summer."

"When Mum gets here, I'll have her fix it so you won't forget."

"Thanks."

They spent they rest of the afternoon peacefully chatting and laughing together. Before they realized time had passed, there was a knock on the door and Ron and Hermione entered. Ron was in a state.

"What the bloody Hell is Malfoy doing here? What's that all about? Oh and by the way, we ran into him in the hall and he told us we could find the two of you up here shagging. Does he know something we don't?" Ron glared at both of them.

Harry looked shocked, but Ginny just laughed. "Ron, he's just being Malfoy, trying to get a rise out of you and it obviously worked. Calm down."

"Yeah, well Mum brought in dinner. She told us to come and get you."

They arrived in the kitchen and were surprised to find Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Malfoy chatting pleasantly with one another.

"Oh good, everyone's here. Let's eat." Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. "No wait… Draco's missing. Ron, go find Draco."

"I'm not getting him. He can starve for all I care!" Ron said adamantly.

"Ronald!" his mother gasped.

"I'll get him Mum." Ginny left the kitchen and found Draco in the library where she'd left him earlier. "Malfoy, dinner's ready," she announced. As he walked past her grumpily, she couldn't resist the grin that spread across her face. "This should be fun," she said to him quietly.

Malfoy smirked back at her mischievously. "We'll see what we can do."

When they returned to the kitchen, apparently Harry had shown some surprise that Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Malfoy knew one another so well.

"Of course, dear. We're cousins, very distant of course, but our families associated when we were girls. We took very different paths in life though."

"I'll say!" Suddenly, Harry looked at Ginny and Draco with a look of mock-disgust. "So you two are cousins!"

Draco looked equally disgusted with Harry. "All pureblood families are related if you go back far enough Potter. The Potters are related to the Weasleys much in the same way that the Prewetts are related to the Blacks, so you're her cousin too. I also believe that the Potters are related to the Malfoys in some way, but I'd rather not think about that."

"How do you know all that?" Harry asked, as no one had ever told him who his family was, or who he was related to. It was rather disturbing that Malfoy knew so much.

"I pay attention to what's important Potter. It's a very Muggle attitude you have. They think it's an accomplishment if they know who their grandparents are. It's repulsive. I'd bet you have no idea about your heritage do you?"

"No one's ever told me…."

"You shouldn't need to be told! It's in the library, I'm sure Granger could show you where that is."

"Draco, that's enough. Eat your dinner," his mother ordered sternly.

Ron thought a change of topic was in order. "Harry, how'd today go with Sirius' will and all?"

"Lovely… aside from his vault at Gringotts, I'm also the proud owner of #12 Grimmauld Place and all its contents," Harry said, dispassionately.

"Harry! What are you going to do with it?" Hermione exclaimed.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. The Order can use it for as long as they like; then I'll take a match to it I suppose."

"Oh Harry, you can't!" Ginny interjected. "You could brighten it up! Get rid of Mrs. Black's portrait somehow; it'll make a brilliant bachelor pad for you and Ron someday. Plenty of room for pesky little sisters to visit!"

"Yeah! Wouldn't we be popular with the witches Harry? Living in an invisible house that none of them could find," laughed Ron.

"Well, I know how particular you two are; you wouldn't want just any witch to be able to stop by, just a select few," Ginny said defensively.

"Alright Gin. I'll be sure to consider that before I torch the place. And yes Hermione, you may help yourself to the books in the library. Happy birthday, and don't expect me to help you carry them."

"Thank you, Harry! I'm going to need another trunk!" exclaimed Hermione happily.

"Hey Harry, don't you think it's time we tracked down Kreacher and gave him his fondest wish?" asked Ron with a gleam in his eye.

"What's that, being given permanent residence in a pair of Mrs. Black's elephant-sized knickers?"

"No… mounting his head on a plaque next to his ancestors on that wall going up the steps. And no Hermione, after what he did to Sirius, I don't want to hear about **spew**!"

"Ronald… it's S.P.E.W.!"

Harry was surprised dinner continued rather uneventfully after that. In fact, it wasn't nearly as dramatic as a normal Weasley meal. Following dinner, Ginny pulled her mother aside quietly and then invited Harry over as well. Mrs. Weasley waved her wand and chanted an unfamiliar charm. Harry immediately felt a warm tingling sensation in his head, and Mrs. Weasley explained, "It's the opposite of a memory charm, dear. Now you can keep your memories from The Bower this summer for as long as you like."

Later that evening, Harry sat in the Grimmauld Place library frantically finishing a potions essay, on the components and uses of Polyjuice Potion, which he had left until the last minute. One of the disadvantages to spending all of his spare time in Ginny's Bower was that Hermione wasn't there to remind him to do his homework. She was sitting next to him on the sofa reading her arithmancy textbook, while Ron and Ginny were in the middle of a particularly heated game of wizard's chess.

Draco and his mother had been in the kitchen since dinner having a quiet but intense discussion. Harry couldn't hear what it was about, but finally Mrs. Malfoy's autocratic voice rose to an audible level.

"No Draco, I'm not willing to do that any more than you are, and that's my final word. I'm retiring to my room now. Go and spend a pleasant evening with your schoolmates, and I'll see you in the morning." Harry saw Mrs. Malfoy breeze by the library door on her way to her quarters. Then he heard the sounds of Draco swearing, and throwing something in the kitchen. Harry and his mates all looked up and around at each other, but no one ventured to comment.

Several minutes later Draco appeared in the doorway looking sullen and miserable, but also in complete control of his temper. "I've been instructed to come and have a **pleasant** evening with my schoolmates," he drawled. He pinched the bridge of his nose as if the were developing a headache and laughed at the absurdity of his mother's instruction.

The four of them looked at him blankly. Finally, Ginny took pity on him. "Malfoy, do you play?" she asked indicating the chess board, while sending her most ferocious 'behave yourselves'glare at Ron and Harry.

"Of course," Malfoy brightened slightly, stepping forward to have a look at the game.

"Good then, come and help me whip Ron's arse. I have him on the run as you can see, but Ron always has a 'Plan B', and I'm having trouble figuring out what his 'Plan B' is here. Do you have any ideas?"

Malfoy continued to look at the game intently, as Ron protested. "Ginny, you can't do that! If he helps you win you're going to lose a point in the record book."

"Well, that's not fair! Harry helps me against you all the time and you don't complain!"  
Ginny protested back.

"Harry's useless at chess!" Ron laughed.

"Hey, I'm right here!" Harry yelped as he continued to scribble out his essay.

"Yeah well, rumour has it the Ferret's quite good," Ron said warily.

"I've heard the same about you Weasel, although I'm surprised you let the Weaslette back you up against the wall like this."

"Ginny's no slouch."

Harry watched the two boys size each other up. They each carried the reputation of being the best chess player in their respective house. Harry knew the one thing Ron would like to do more than beat Malfoy up was to beat him at chess.

"Right then! Budge up." Malfoy squeezed himself into the same oxblood leather chair as Ginny and he began whispering in her ear.

"Well, isn't that cosy," grumbled Harry under his breath.

After a minute of whispering back and forth Ginny let out a happy squeal and continued the game with Ron. She defeated him five moves later.

"Give me my point, darling brother!" she exclaimed jubilantly.

"No way!" Ron pouted.

"Give the young lady her point, Weasley; she had you beat before I entered in and you know it," Malfoy laughed as he leaned away from Ginny's flailing arms and watched her bounce out of the chair and do her usual victory celebration. Malfoy's eyes opened in amused surprise.

Ron growled and pulled the little notebook from his pocket, jotting down some figures.

"What's the score Ron?" asked Ginny, winding down her victory dance and sitting down next to Malfoy.

"Lets see…" Ron grumbled. "Ron 1549…. Ginny 1535. Humph!"

"I'm gaining on you, Ronnikins! I'd say by the end of the term Gryffindor will have a new champion!" taunted Ginny.

Ron suddenly darkened and glared at her as furiously as he could manage. "Over my dead, bruised and bloody body, Gingerkins." Ron brightened suddenly as he popped out of his chair. "Anyone for a Butterbeer?" Everyone's hand went up. "Right then. I'll be back. Set-up the board Malfoy… if you have the stones to face me!"

"After the thrashing I just witnessed, I'm shivering in fear!" Malfoy drawled as he and Ginny began to reset the board. Their arms kept intertwining and bumping into one another as they reset the chessmen. They both realized how closely to one another they had been sitting and an uncomfortable silence descended over them, although neither moved from the chair.

"Erm… how long have you and your brother been keeping score?" Malfoy asked almost timidly.

"Oh… ah… well, forever it seems. I was probably about 5 when we started. We hadn't played for the longest time, but Harry got us going again this summer, didn't you Harry?" Ginny leaned forward and shot an adoring and grateful grin at him. Although Harry was inwardly seething at Ginny's proximity to Malfoy he couldn't help but return her gaze, and grin back.

"I didn't do anything, Gin," Harry blushed lightly.

Malfoy watched this exchange imperceptivity. He started to realise it might be fun to steal Potter's girl out from under his nose. Certainly something to do. The little witch did have her assets. Could almost make a bloke forget she's a Weasley… almost.

Ron returned with everyone's Butterbeer and settled in to do battle with Malfoy. The tension and concentration between the two was palpable in the room. Ginny and Malfoy continued to whisper to each other about the best strategy to defeat Ron, who was clearly not amused.

"Harry, mark this down as the day when Ginny defected to the dark side," grumbled Ron.

"You'll survive," Ginny countered.

"Finished! Yes!" Harry happily put down his quill, and stretched to relieve the tension in his arms and shoulders. Hermione's head immediately popped out of her book, reached for Harry's parchment and began to read.

"Mummy correcting your schoolwork, Scarhead?" taunted Malfoy. Harry shot a very rude hand gesture at Malfoy, while turning to Hermione.

"Hermione, don't mark it up too badly; I don't have the time or energy to rewrite it!" pleaded Harry.

"Shhh!" was Hermione's only reply, correction quill in hand.

After several minutes of reading, Hermione looked up very confused. "Harry? This essay!"

"Oh, is it crap? Please don't tell me its crap!"

"No," she began carefully. "It's not. It's well organized, your arguments are logical and your supporting facts are correct and well presented. You wrote eight inches more than was required, and you even included a section on Polyjuice variations and alternate uses. I didn't even do that!"

"But what's wrong with it?" Harry asked desperately.

"Nothing! That's what I'm trying to tell you. This is a brilliant essay, and I can't improve it." Harry sat there looking stunned, almost scared. Harry usually wrote essays at least three times before Hermione allowed him to turn them in.

In fact, everyone in the room was stunned. "Let me see that!" Malfoy demanded. He and Hermione were the two top students in potions; the last thing he needed was more competition from Perfect Potter. After quickly scanning the essay Malfoy conceded, "It is good. Humph!"

"I guess I've been thinking more clearly lately. I've been sleeping better too. Maybe that has something to do with it," Harry pondered.

"That makes sense," Hermione said thoughtfully. "Have you been dreaming?"

"Not about Voldemort, no," Harry grinned sheepishly. "No nightmares, not since I arrived at The Burrow. Dumbledore told me today that Voldemort has been attempting to access my dreams for the past month unsuccessfully and he's getting quite peevish about it. I have to meet with Snape the first day of classes, so he can assess what's going on." Harry made a facial expression of severe distaste.

"Er… Harry, should you be saying all this in front of the Ferret?" Ron asked.

"Dumbledore said it didn't matter what we said to Malfoy; he's bound by a charm to not repeat anything he's seen or heard this summer. He probably knows more than we do, having been here all summer." Harry grinned widely. "Let's just say that if he squeals, it'll be written all over his face!"

Ron laughed loudly. "The old man's taken a page out of our Hermione's book has he?" Ron said beaming with pride at Hermione. Hermione looked quite pleased as well.

"Well let's take advantage of it, shall we? So Malfoy, is there any burning question you've been dying to ask us? Now's your chance!" teased Ron.

"I don't give you lot that much thought," Malfoy lied, and then continued carefully. "But this essay has reminded me of one thing. Second year: you two Polyjuiced Crabbe and Goyle and had a chat with me in the dungeon, didn't you?"

"You didn't!" Ginny exclaimed, leaning toward Harry. "I can't believe you didn't tell me!"

Ron and Harry grinned at each other, remembering that particular adventure.

"I knew it!" Malfoy exclaimed. "Why?"

"We thought you were the Heir of Slytherin and opened the Chamber," Ron said simply.

"I didn't open the bloody Chamber!" ranted Malfoy.

"We know that now," Ron said cautiously, watching Ginny stiffen.

"So, who did open the Chamber? I know you lot know," Draco queried.

Ginny answered quickly. "That's not a conversation that leads to a pleasant evening, so another time perhaps." Draco met Ginny eyes and noticed a haunted sadness in them he hadn't seen before. He nodded and changed the subject.

"Where did you get Polyjuice Potion anyway?"

Ron nodded his head towards Hermione. "Hermione brewed it."

"You were brewing Polyjuice when you were twelve?" Hermione nodded. She was very uncomfortable sharing information with Malfoy, and she was sure they would regret it. "That's brilliant!" Malfoy said, genuinely impressed. Hermione smiled a bit.

"She's not that brilliant," Ron countered. "Hermione was supposed to be in the dungeon with us…"

"Ron…" Hermione said quietly with a distinct warning in her voice.

"She was supposed to Polyjuice Millicent Bulstrode…"

"RON!" she tried again, but Ron continued unfazed.

"…but instead she turned herself into Millicent Bulstrode's cat!" Ron and Harry burst out laughing at the memory of Hermione with a furry face, ears and a tail. Ginny gasped, and Malfoy sat there gaping.

"I don't believe you Ronald Weasley!" Hermione shrieked.

"MUDBLOOD?" said Malfoy, finally able to form words as he collapsed into hysterical laughter.

Ron and Harry both began yelling at Malfoy for his perceived slight on Hermione. Ginny turned and punched Malfoy several times as hard as she could.

"Ouch! NO! You don't understand… ouch! You don't understand!" Malfoy barely squeaked out. Still laughing uncontrollably, he wrapped his arms tightly around Ginny and pulled her close to restrain her from hitting him again.

"Calm down, Weaslette! Millie's cat is named MUDBLOOD!" he said as he collapsed breathlessly against Ginny's shoulder. There was a moment of silence, and then Ginny began snickering with him and he released her reluctantly from his embrace.

Harry and Ron were valiantly swallowing their laughter and watching Hermione intently. Hermione's lips finally twitched. "Okay, that **is** funny," she admitted. Harry and Ron finally allowed themselves to dissolve into laughter.

After several minutes Ron and Draco resumed their chess game and all was peaceful again, with only an occasional snicker breaking through the quiet.

However, Hermione was plotting her revenge.

"Ron…" she said sweetly, "why don't you ask Malfoy about your theory?"

All Ron's attention was focused on the chessboard. "What theory's that, Luv?" he said without looking up.

Harry and Ginny shot each other a surprised look that said "_Did Ron just call Hermione Luv?" _ Hermione looked momentarily stunned, but recovered quickly and resumed her track.

"You remember, the one about Slytherin girls' virtue," Hermione reminded him.

Ron's head jerked up so hard he gave himself whiplash. Draco's head also snapped out of the game with a smirk. "You have my attention!'

Ron glowered at Hermione, his face quickly turning bright red. "Oh, it's nothing… just some stupid thing I heard."

"Some stupid thing you heard and **believed!**"Hermione quipped.

"It's NOTHING!" Ron replied, desperately trying to return his attention to the chess game.

"Malfoy, Ron thinks there are no virgins in Slytherin house!"

Draco quirked an eyebrow with interest.

"Hermione!" Ron tried to interrupt.

"He thinks the girls lose their virginity as soon as possible to protect themselves against Binding curses."

"HERMIONE!" Ron tried again, but now Hermione continued, unfazed.

"Ron thinks it's common for fathers to use their daughters as chattel, you know, gamble them in a game of cards or trade them for other favours."

"I never said that!" Ron exclaimed

"It is certainly what you implied! Malfoy, would you care to clarify?"

Draco was half amused and half horrified. "Do you really believe that rubbish? Do you think we would treat our woman like common blood traitors? I'm not even going to respond any further." The Malfoy smirk returned to his face. "When we get back to school, I think you should pose your theory to Parkinson. She'd set you straight." Then he began to laugh. "Or better yet, ask Millie! Oh yeah! Millie'd have your privates stuffed and mounted on the common room wall before you finished the question. Oh Weasley, I'm begging you. Ask her, and let me be there when you do!"

"Okay, okay. I guess I might be wrong," Ron conceded, grouchily

At some point during Draco's tirade, Ginny had stiffened and removed herself from the chair she'd been sharing with Draco. She moved to sit on the sofa between Harry and Hermione, and was shooting him cold and menacing glares. For a little thing, she looked quite intimidating. Draco tried to think back on anything he could have said to offend her. He couldn't think of anything. In fact, he thought he'd been behaving quite well considering the circumstances. Nevertheless, he continued his rant at Ron.

"Did you think it was part of my Slytherin prefect duties to deflower the virgins?" he laughed and was pleased to see Ginny trying to hide a giggle.

"Is it?" Ron raised his eyebrows interestedly.

"No! Bloody hell! NO! ... Actually that task would be more in Zabini's area of interest, not mine."

"Don't you like girls?" Ron couldn't resist.

Anger flashed over Malfoy's face momentarily, but a calm mask quickly overcame the fury. He spoke slowly as though he were speaking to a small child who couldn't possibly understand. "I like girls... very much, but unlike some, I have standards. I'm not one to indulge in casual liaisons."

"Whatever that means! Check!" Ron said indicating the chess board.

Malfoy's attention returned to the game. He moved his king out of danger, but Weasley had him on the run. Ginny had been more of a distraction to him than he realized.

"So, Malfoy, our turn. How did you end up here? Why aren't you in Jr. Death Eater camp this summer?" Ron asked.

"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed. "Malfoy just ignore him, he's an idiot."

"It's alright, Ginny," Malfoy drawled complacently. "I knew it wouldn't last. If you must know Weasley, I received a summons from the Dark Lord that my mother saw fit to avoid."

"You sound disappointed! Did you want to become a Death Eater?" Ron scoffed.

"What I **want** never enters into the equation. Tell me Weasley, did anyone ask you if you **wanted** to become a minion of Dumbledore?" countered Malfoy.

Ron looked taken aback for a moment, but then answered very quietly and intensely. "My allegiance lies with Harry. If he chose to take the Dark Mark tomorrow I'd be by his side."

"Aww... thanks mate, but I've never been much of a joiner," Harry joked, obviously touched by his friend's loyalty.

"I think we should refrain from discussing politics any further, Weasley," Malfoy stated. He noted the pleasant surprise on Potter's face and although he maintained a detached veneer, Draco was a bit surprised and envious as well. After all these were Gryffindors, not Hufflepuffs. Also, he was not so sure whether any of his friends would ever have that type of allegiance to him. In fact, he was somewhat apprehensive regarding their reception of him when he returned to Hogwarts.

"We're not discussing _politics, _Malfoy! We're discussing good versus evil!" Ron spat.

"Weasley! You can't be that naive! Nothing… nothing in this world is that black and white!" Malfoy's voice rose for the first time.

"Harry Potter versus Voldemort is as black and white as it gets! If you think differently, you've been misinformed."

"What the hell are you on about? There you go again talking as though this was Harry Potter's personal bleedin' war! Do you really believe the Dark Lord gives a second thought to him?"

Ron met Harry's eyes and Harry shook his head subtly. It was far too dangerous to let Malfoy know about the Prophecy.

"You're right Malfoy, we shouldn't be talking politics. Checkmate."

The tension in the room diffused, as Draco studied the chess board quietly. "Good game Weasel. I'm going to need a rematch sometime, especially if you plan to brag around school that you beat me."

"Just let me know when and where and I'll be there, preferably not in the dungeons. I won't say a word about my beating you, as you were far too distracted by my sister's cleavage to call this a fair game," Ron glared at him, but kept his tone friendly.

Malfoy's face remained a mask of indifference, neither confirming nor denying his guilt as he looked Ron in the eye, "I look forward to the rematch."

"I'm off to bed. No offence, Malfoy, but it's late and I've had enough of you for one night," Ron said.

"I'll go too," Hermione said as she packed up her books and the two of them headed upstairs.

As soon as Hermione stood, Ginny scooted over to her end of the sofa and patted her lap. Harry's eyes brightened in anticipation and relief, as he laid his head on her lap and she began massaging his temples and head. It seemed to Draco they'd done this a hundred times before.

"So, are those two off to snog then?" queried Draco, nodding towards the door.

"NO!" Ginny and Harry said in unison laughing.

"Aren't they together?" Draco asked incredulously.

"NO!" they said again.

Harry tilted his head up from Ginny's lap to look at her. "Did you hear Ron call Hermione 'Luv'?"

"Yes, but I don't think he had a clue he did it!" Ginny giggled.

"Wait a minute! Why aren't they together?" Draco looked about to burst. Ginny just shrugged her shoulders.

"They're mad for each other! Always have been," Draco continued.

"We don't have an answer for you Malfoy," Harry laughed.

"You mean she's been waiting for him all this time? No wonder she's so uptight!"

Harry and Ginny dissolved into giggles again.

"Well I'm off to bed. Ginny, your fingers have worked their magic once again," Harry got up and quickly kissed Ginny's forehead. "Don't stay up too late. You want to be fresh for your **boyfriend **tomorrow. 'Night Malfoy," Harry smirked at Ginny as he left the room.

"Potter's not your boyfriend?" Draco asked, once Harry had left the room.

"Do you think he'd leave me alone with you if he were?"

"Probably not. You two seem very friendly. The kitchen floor today..."

"That was Harry being a prat... he's already apologized," Ginny interrupted.

"I don't believe I have to share a room with those two buffoons! Listening to the Weasel King and Potty snoring all night is my idea of hell!" groaned Malfoy.

"Ron snores, but Harry doesn't. Harry just wakes up **screaming**!" Draco glared at her. "But not recently… lately he's been sleeping like a baby," Ginny said helpfully.

"Lovely. You seem to know Potter's sleeping habits rather intimately… for a friend," Malfoy smirked.

"A very **close** friend," Ginny replied cryptically, mimicking his smirk back at him and offering no further information. Malfoy's smirk threatened to turn into a grin before he bit it back.

"So who is your boyfriend?"

"Dean Thomas."

"Another Mudblood?"

"I think I'll go to bed myself," Ginny stiffened and started to rise.

"No! Please don't go yet, I apologize. Please stay," Ginny sat back onto the sofa, but continued to glare coldly at Draco. They were quiet for a long while.

"Will you tell me what I did to upset you earlier, or are you going to hex me into a quivering mass with giant flying bogeys attacking me," Draco grinned as he reminded her of their last meeting.

Ginny giggled. "I haven't decided yet."

"Would you teach me that hex?"

"I'll consider it, if you stay on my good side. The one I used on you was my mild version. I have a more intense version that I reserve for my brothers."

"You're wicked!" Draco laughed.

"That's what Harry calls me too. Ron says I'm evil," Ginny grinned.

"No. You're not evil," he said knowingly. "Have you ever hexed Potter?" he asked hopefully.

"No, but his day is coming soon, I can tell," Ginny paused and looked at Draco intently. He waited patiently for her to formulate her thoughts. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask," he said.

"Can you explain to me why a witch as brilliant as Hermione is considered inferior because of her bloodline? Why someone, like your father, who has wealth, property, power and a family, is willing to throw it all away?" Draco visibly drew breath and stiffened. "I'm not trying to pick a fight, I really want to know."

"I know you do. It just that those are big questions for..." he looked at his wristwatch "half past one in the morning; perhaps another time. Why don't you tell me what I said that made you leave our chair earlier? I really want to know."

Ginny's gaze dropped from Draco to the floor. "You were talking about Binding curses and how Slytherin women wouldn't be treated like **common blood traitors**. If Voldemort comes to power, who do you think will be considered a blood traitor? Don't you think I fit into that category quite nicely?"

Draco blanched as the realization of what he'd said hit him. The thought of a beautiful creature like Ginny spending her life in someone's dungeon sickened him. "I wasn't thinking. I can't say I've ever given the practice much thought, but you ask if you would be in danger... there's the politics of your family to consider. The fact that you're a Weasley also implies a certain desirable level of fertility. Your mother is a Prewett, a powerfully magical family known for their healers and seers." As Draco spoke he rose from his chair and sat next to Ginny on the sofa facing her, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. "Then there's also the fact that you are young and very beautiful. To tell you the truth, I think you would be at the top of the list. You'd be in grave danger."

A tear rolled down Ginny's cheek and Draco wiped it away with the pad of his thumb.

"Do you think that's the fate I deserve for dating boys like Dean Thomas or even Harry Potter?" Ginny asked with a sniffle.

"No, Ginny. I'd never think that. I told you it just came out, I'd never even thought about it."

"Do you think about any of it Draco? Do you question anything they tell you?"

"Do you? Do you question any of the crap your side tells you?" Draco asked sharply.

Ginny nodded. "I thought that's what I was doing now, by talking to you," she said very quietly.

Draco laughed suddenly.

"What's so funny?"

"It's just not very often someone surprises me... it's very late. Let's go up," Draco said, taking Ginny's hand and pulling her onto her feet.

As Ginny stood Draco bent down and whispered in her ear, "Death Eaters need their beauty sleep too, you know."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Mmmmm... we can't have Draco Malfoy showing up on the first day of school as anything less than pretty."

"That would be tragic," Draco drawled and continued to hold her hand while pulling her towards the stairs.

Draco was in a muddle. _The girl is a Weasley, you randy git!_ He must be more desperate than he thought after being locked up in this hell-hole all summer! But she was funny, and smart, not at all like that cretin brother of hers. She was asking him intelligent questions he'd been asking himself all summer, questions to which he didn't have answers. He definitely wanted more.

Draco stopped at the top of the stairs. "Would you come to Hogsmeade with me?" he whispered. Ginny eyes widened in shock.

"Do you mean a date?" she squeaked. Draco nodded. "I do have a boyfriend."

"Let me rephrase the question. If by the first Hogsmeade weekend you no longer have a boyfriend, would you consider being my date?" Draco tried again.

"Are you going to poison Dean?" Ginny leaned against the wall of the hallway outside her room.

"No!" Draco chuckled. She wasn't going to make this easy.

"But I thought you had _standards._ Surely a Weasley is far below..."

"I'm not offering to marry you Weasley," Draco interrupted with forced patience. "I'm not even offering to shag you. I'd just like to buy you a Butterbeer and a few Chocolate Frogs and continue our conversation at a later time. Maybe answer a few questions for one another." Draco had leaned into her, trapping her between the wall and his body; their bodies were as close as they could get without touching.

Ginny forced herself to speak in a casual, detached tone, even though she was feeling light-headed.

"Oh. Well, if all you want is conversation, I am allowed to **talk** to other boys you know, even with a boyfriend. We don't need a date for that."

"How progressive!" Draco spat through his teeth. "Answer... the question... about... the date."

"Why Mr. Malfoy! Methinks you may want more than conversation!" Ginny teased, enjoying his discomfort immensely.

"Okay… perhaps a bit more." He lowered his head, and very gently ran his lips over her earlobe and her neck, barely touching her. Ginny shuddered when she felt his warm breath as he spoke. She instinctively tilted her head to give him better access. "I'm not going to ask again. I do have some pride."

"Well, the truth is I don't know," Ginny replied pushing Draco away so she could regain her breath. "Just because we've had one tolerable evening doesn't change the fact that you've been absolutely foul for the past four years I've known you. Especially last year when you were such a sycophant to that cow Umbridge! It was revolting!"

"Mmm... yes, allegiance to Umbridge may have been a miscalculation on my part. Live and learn. But anyway... I'm not asking for a promise in blood. I can be a bastard, that won't change. If you can't stand me, break the date… no harm done."

"All right then. In the unlikely event I've broken up with Dean, and in the even more unlikely event I don't find you repulsive, I will go out with you."

"Finally!" he chuckled. He gazed down at her lips: they were perfect, begging to be kissed. But no, he would have to play this carefully. "Goodnight Ginny." He kissed Ginny lightly on the forehead and then he was gone.

Draco stumbled in the darkness trying to find his bed. His shin collided with something hard and heavy.

"Bugger!" he yelped, flicking on a light. Harry had left his trunk in front of Draco's bed. "Bloody hell, Potter!"

"What? Oh, sorry," Harry said sleepily. He got up and moved his trunk out of the way.

"What are you two on about? Go… sleep!" croaked Ron.

"I'm trying to, but Potter's trying to kill me!" Draco snapped, as he changed into his night clothes.

"Nice try, Harry," Ron quipped. "Malfoy, I don't suppose it would do any good to tell you to keep your manicured paws off of my sister?"

"That would be her call to make," Draco said, dismissively.

"She has a boyfriend!" chimed Harry.

"A fact that doesn't seem to slow **you** down!" Draco laughed.

"Ginny and I are friends."

"So I've been told. What are **you** planning to do? Wait patiently in queue for her until she's available?" Harry glared at Malfoy, but said nothing, as that was exactly what he was planning to do. "Is that what Gryffindor nobility calls for? It's amazing any of you manage to breed!"

"Don't mention breeding and Ginny in the same thought, Malfoy!" Ron shuddered. "Let me tell you something about my sister. She has a really big heart. When she was a kid she was always bringing home birds with broken wings and garden gnomes that got chucked a bit too hard. If you think she feels something for you, you're probably right. It's called compassion. She thinks she can fix you, that's all it is."

"Hmm, that could explain her fascination with me as well," Harry said miserably.

"Nah… she was mad for you **before** we all knew how screwed-up you are," Ron quipped.

"Thanks, mate."

"Don't mention it."

Draco pulled back his blankets and got into bed. "Well, I don't need **fixing**, but that information will be useful. Cheers." He turned over and faced the wall.

Harry was now wide awake with no hope of immediate sleep. "So, how are you planning to 'cut the queue' then?"

Draco groaned. "Is life just one great heart-to-heart for you Gryffs? Don't you ever sleep? Unlike you, I'm not planning to wait my turn in queue. I already asked her out, that's all."

"What'd she say?" Harry asked with some trepidation.

"She said she had a boyfriend."

"Ha!" The pit in Harry's stomach disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and he settled down into his bed.

Draco flipped over onto his side, leaning his head on one hand. "That's **not** a 'No' Potter. I got her to agree to come to Hogsmeade with me if she no longer had a boyfriend by then."

Ron popped up in bed. "Are you going to poison Dean?"

"No! You Gryffs are so violent! I won't need to," Draco chuckled, confidently.

"You think by just asking her out, she'll go chuck Dean and fall into your arms? That's the stupidest plan I've ever heard!" Ron said incredulously.

"You're one to talk of stupid plans!" Malfoy retorted. "When are **you** going to make a move on Granger? Please, do us all a favor… drag her into a broom cupboard and provide the service she so desperately needs! Then maybe we can all have a peaceful school year."

"I don't know what you mean. Hermione and I are just good friends," Ron pouted.

Draco shot a disbelieving glare at Harry, who just grinned and shrugged. "Humph," Draco snorted. "There seems to be a lot of that going around."

Harry couldn't get his mind off Ginny. "Ron, are you just going to let him chase after Ginny like this?"

"A particularly nasty Bat-Bogey I received a few weeks ago tells me to stay out of it, for the moment at least. However, I must admit, I'm torn, mate. Part of me wants to hex him into next week, but another part wants to sit back and watch the man work," Ron chuckled.

"Ron! She's your sister! That's bollocks!" Harry was panicked; he didn't understand why he couldn't manage to enrage his friend.

"Don't get yourself all in a strop, Harry!"

"I'm not in a strop! I don't believe your abandoning your sister like this!"

"Harry, it's Malfoy! He doesn't stand a chance with Ginny! No way! Now, go to sleep!"

Harry glared at Malfoy, who was quietly chuckling at their argument. "Have you kissed her Malfoy?" he spat.

"Go to sleep Potter. Lesson's over for tonight," Draco extinguished the light. Harry growled and punched his pillow.

Ginny floated into her bedroom and crumbled onto her bed. Hermione flipped over with a start and turned on a light.

"Ginny? You okay?"

"Mmmmmm."

"It's really late. Have you been with Malfoy all this time?"

"Hermione, have you ever noticed how **good** he smells?" she sighed.

Hermione sat bolt upright in her bed.

"Ew! I can't say I've ever caught a whiff of him," she said with disgust. "The closest I've ever gotten to him was when I punched him in my third year."

"He smells like bayberry and leather. It's intoxicating!"

"Apparently," Hermione said dryly. "Ginny, sit up and look at me. This is Malfoy you're talking about."

"I know, it's insane! I'm sure he'll go back to his normal egotistical, bullying self once we're back at school. But tonight he was alright, wasn't he?"

"He was pleasant enough, I suppose," Hermione said warily. "You know, I thought of something funny earlier."

"What?"

"Well, you take sweet natured Harry and lock him up alone and he turns grouchy and petulant, like last summer. But take **vile** Malfoy and lock him up and he comes out all civil and chatty!" she giggled.

"That is funny. I think it has something to do with his mother because he seems to really care about her. Or maybe it's because his awful father isn't around to poison him anymore."

"Ginny… please be careful. He can't be trusted."

"I know. Good night Hermione."

"'Night Ginny."

Ginny reluctantly got into her night clothes and crawled under the covers. _He said I was very beautiful… no one's ever told me that before. _ As she drifted off to sleep, for the first time, the boy kissing her in her dreams was **not** Harry Potter.

**Authors Note:**

Once again, an enthusiastic thank you to Jocjarmom for the beta and tweaks.

Everyone should go check out her TDT outtake from the last chapter The Dog Days, it's called Welcome Back, Hermione, and is chuck full of H/R goodness! It's great!


	6. Chapter Five: The Power Position

The Devil's Triangle

Chapter 5: The Power Position

Harry rose early the next morning. It was September 1st and time to head back to Hogwarts. Harry marveled that no matter where they were, Mrs. Weasley made herself at home in the kitchen. He helped her prepare breakfast for everyone and was tucking-in to his meal when Ginny came into the kitchen.

"Morning, Gin," he said cheerfully. As much as he complained to Ron about Malfoy's interest in Ginny, he would never say anything to her. He'd seen too many of Ron's 'Victor Krum rages' to think that would be the best course.

"Hey, Harry," she said, mussing his hair affectionately as she sat next to him. "You excited about getting back? I am."

"Yeah, I guess. Do you think people would be interested in starting up the DA again? I kind of want to do that."

"I think that's a brilliant idea! I'll be there! I never did get my Patronus right last year, and I'm dying to know what form it'll take."

"I'd say that your Patronus will be something soft and fluffy and beautiful that breathes fire! What kind of animal is that?" Harry teased.

"Funny Harry!" she giggled. "Would you carry my trunk down after breakfast? It's all packed and ready to go."

"No problem. Are you excited about seeing Dean today?"

"I guess," she grimaced. "It's just kind of weird. I mean we weren't dating at the end of last term. Other than the wedding, we've just been sending Owls; it'll probably be different in person."

"I would hope so!" Harry laughed. "Just do me a favor... don't sneak up to the sixth year boys' dorm to snog. I can't handle pulling Ron off Dean on a daily basis."

"I'll keep that in mind!" she said, blushing.

"Dean's a good bloke, Ginny. You should give him a chance."

"Thanks Harry, I plan to," she said, eyeing him suspiciously.

Draco and his mother entered the kitchen with subdued greetings of "Good morning." Draco had reverted back into his impeccably groomed, expensively tailored image to which they were accustomed. Ginny wondered if his personality had similarly reverted. He helped his mother with her chair, and then leaned down to Ginny to speak quietly.

"Ginny, I took the liberty of bringing down your trunk and bags, as they seemed ready. They're in the front hall."

Ginny rewarded him with a wide smile. "Thank you, Draco."

Draco sat with his mother at the end of the table and became engrossed in a quiet conversation with her.

Ron and Hermione entered the kitchen. Ron's mood seemed to have suffered from lack of sleep, but he wasted no time in attacking the food and building himself a huge plate of eggs and sausages. Once the worst of his hunger had ebbed, he looked up from his plate with a wicked gleam in his eyes. "So Ginny, Malfoy tells us the two of you have a date!" he said, grinning eggs.

Ginny glared at him and then she glared at Draco, who had turned from his conversation with his mother with a smirk. "It's a hypothetical date contingent on many factors, not the least of which is him not reverting back into the arrogant, vindictive, spoilt, evil prat

I've known in the past," Ginny spoke without breaking eye contact with Draco, but he merely smirked at her pleasantly and said nothing.

Narcissa bit back a smirk of her own, thinking in spite of herself that she could get to like this Weasley girl. "Draco! What about Pansy?" she asked.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Parkinson and I are just friends, Mother," he snapped.

"There's definitely a lot of that going around," Harry grumbled under his breath.

"Oh," Narcissa continued. "I've always had such high hopes for the two of you."

"Mother…" Draco groaned. Narcissa continued on.

"Ever since the day I found the two of you naked in the carriage house, you were so cute!"

"Mother, we were four years old! And we were **just looking**!" Draco protested vigorously.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were shaking with mirth. Ginny was coughing violently, having almost shot pumpkin juice out her nose.

"Oh, that's nothing!" Mrs. Weasley decided to join the fun of humiliating offspring. "My Ginny never needed to play mediwizard with a boy; she was bathing with Ron from the day she was born. Growing up with six brothers, she was so disappointed to be a girl."

"Mum…" Ginny growled, with a distinct warning in her voice. She knew her mother would continue and she dreaded what was coming.

"She wanted a penis so badly; she thought she was malformed not to have one! Isn't that charming?"

"Oh, kill me now!" Ginny hid her face in her hands.

"Oh don't you remember, dear? Every Christmas and every birthday: 'Mummy, Mummy, all I want is a penis, please get me a penis!' In the middle of Diagon Alley sometimes, I tell you! She finally gave up when she was about seven."

The entire table was roaring now, except for Narcissa who managed only a mild titter, and Ginny who still had her face buried in her hands.

"Damn, Gin!" Harry exclaimed, in pain from laughing so hard. "Why didn't you tell me that's what you wanted for your birthday? It would have saved me a lot of money!"

"Shut it, Potter!" she bellowed, without uncovering her face. She peeked between her fingers in time to see Malfoy give Harry a High-Five as they both wiped tears from they're eyes. _Oh great! Over **this** they're bonding! _

"Cissa, do you remember that family reunion when we were girls? I think it was

Great Uncle Bilius' 100th birthday," Mrs. Weasley asked.

"Gideon and Bea in the bushes?" Narcissa exclaimed. "Oh, I'd forgotten about that. My sister Bea and Molly's brother Gideon were mad for each other. It was so embarrassing; they couldn't keep their hands off each other! My grandmother caught them going at it behind some bushes at a garden party with at least 200 family members milling about. My mother and Molly's father nearly killed them both! Merlin, I've never seen anyone turn so red with rage."

"Shagging? Are we talking about shagging?" Draco queried, stunned that his mother would broach such a subject.

Molly giggled and continued the story. "They were certainly doing **loads** more than 'just looking' Draco! It wasn't safe to walk into a room in those days. They were either on each other or at each other throats! My, they had some violent rows… they didn't agree about anything, complete opposites politically."

"Hang on," Harry interrupted, with a sudden realization. "Is this **Bellatrix Lestrange** we're talking about?"

Narcissa nodded. "She was Bellatrix Black then, my sister."

Harry recoiled; he didn't want to hear any funny stories which made that monster seem human to him.

As if reading his mind, Narcissa continued in a kind, almost apologetic way. "She wasn't always the way she is today."

"Mum?" Ginny began. "How can you love someone, and despise everything they believe in?"

"Love isn't rational dear. It is what it is. Gideon and Bea made each other happy; even when they were fighting they both seemed so alive, until she took the Dark Mark and they had their final falling out."

"Mum?" It was Ron speaking this time. "Isn't Bellatrix Lestrange one of the Deatheaters that killed Uncle Gideon and Uncle Fabian?"

"Yes, dear, she was," Molly said quietly, her eyes misting over. Ginny and Hermione gasped quietly.

"How can that happen?" Ginny asked, as her hand imperceptivity clenched around her fork. Harry's hand instinctively began to sooth her back.

"We don't know exactly what happened," Narcissa continued, "but the sister I loved died that day as well. When Gideon was killed everything human in Bea died with him. I'm not going to lose Draco like that. I've lost enough." Narcissa's voice uncharacteristically cracked with emotion.

"You won't Cissa," Molly said confidently. "Draco's a smart boy. He'll find his way."

Ginny noticed that Draco's eyes never moved from his breakfast. His faced showed no emotion, and betrayed nothing of his thoughts. Ginny resolved to find out what was going on inside that snarky head.

A sudden change of mood occurred when Molly activated her commanding mother voice. "Alright you lot, get moving… you have a train to catch! We leave in 45 minutes. Ginny go do something with your hair. Go! All of you… go! Go!"

The boys returned to their room and somberly finished preparing to leave. Harry kept glancing at the silent Draco, trying to think of something appropriate to say. Draco finally snapped.

"Potter! Stop giving me those piteous looks and say whatever it is you're going to say!"

"Oh… er, I don't know. I think just… well, if you need anything… we'd help."

"Anything to defeat the Dark Lord, eh Potter? Even befriend me?" Draco growled viciously.

"I never said I wanted to be your friend!" Harry snapped, regretting he'd said anything.

"Good! The only thing I want you to do for me is forget the past 24 hours. You didn't see me here, you don't know where I've been all summer, and you certainly don't know where my loyalties lie. The only reason I've put up with you was to please my mother. It's going to be difficult enough returning to Slytherin house without you lot being chummy. Can you do that?"

"What? Hate you? Ignore you? Hex you in the corridors? No problem at all," retorted Harry, with a tone of disgust in his voice.

"And you?" Malfoy turned to Ron.

"Deal. Except for that chess thing. How will your housemates react to you rejecting Voldemort?"

"No idea, and I didn't reject him, my mother did." Malfoy gathered his belongings and left the room without another word. After he'd left the room Harry looked at Ron and shrugged.

"He seems to be back to normal now," Ron quipped.

Everyone congregated in the kitchen at the appointed time. Mr. Weasley had arranged a Portkey to deliver the students to the station safely. As usual, Mad Eye Moody was going to transport the luggage to Kings Cross station. Molly and Narcissa were going to accompany them to the train station, but to protect her identity, Mrs. Malfoy had agreed to allow Mad Eye Moody to cast a Glamour Charm on her. The adults would then apparate to separate locations, to avoid the appearance of collusion.

"Hold still Narcissa, this won't hurt a bit," Moody grumbled as he waved his wand before Mrs. Malfoy and mumbled an incantation.

"But wait…" Mrs. Malfoy stuttered. "Can't I choose? I can't be just anyone!"

But her protests came too late, as suddenly Mrs. Malfoy was transformed into an old, gnarled witch. Harry thought she sort of resembled Mrs. Figg, the batty old cat-loving Squib who'd lived down the street from him on Privet Drive. Draco's mouth dropped in shock, while everybody else in the room obviously was delighted by the remarkable change. She held up a hand-mirror to examine herself, and she squeaked in horror at her reflection. However, Narcissa was not one to create a public scene; she quickly plastered on a wan smile and accepted her fate.

"What do you think, dear?" she asked Draco hopefully.

"Wicked!" burst out Ron, before Draco could say another word. Ginny and Hermione nodded enthusiastically.

"Mother?" exclaimed Draco, clearly disgusted. "You look lovely," he added quickly.

"Glad you approve, Malfoy. You're next," grinned Mad Eye, his magical eye spinning wildly.

"Oh no, you don't!" Draco was clearly frantic. He'd worked too hard to create his appearance to allow his image to be destroyed in an instant.

"Draco, dear, what if Mr. Moody assured you that you could change back once we arrived at Kings Cross Station?" asked his mother, gently.

Draco pondered for a moment, and then said, "Actually, this ridiculous plan of yours has an upside, Moody. With this disguise on, nobody else will see me appearing in public with you lot."

"Draco, that is not very charitable," said the old hag that was actually Mrs. Malfoy.

"All right Moody, you may proceed. But don't make me a girl," warned Draco sternly.

"Actually Alastor, would you let me?" asked Mrs. Weasley. "I've always loved doing Glamour Charms, and it's been such a long time since Ginny allowed me to perform one on her." Moody nodded his assent, and Draco was clearly uneasy. "Now, now dear, just remember this will only be temporary." She flicked her wand and spoke the same incantation as Mad Eye. When the transformation was completed, the entire kitchen burst out into hysterical laughter, except for Ron who stood gaping.

"Mum! That's just WRONG!" Ron shrieked.

"What?" asked Draco in a panic. He was furious when he saw that Potter and Ginny were laughing so hard they were holding each other up. _To think I thought that little witch had potential yesterday, maybe I was wrong! But even Mother's trying not to laugh!_ _This must be bad!_

"Do I look like a troll? What have you done to me, woman?" Mrs. Weasley courteously showed Draco to the downstairs loo so he could see her handiwork and Lupin motioned that everybody needed to quiet down. Seconds after Draco entered the loo, the room was filled with a scream that sounded like a banshee. He came running out, clearly in a fury such as never had been seen before.

"Mrs. Weasley, I insist you change me back from this garish appearance. I refuse to be transported to Kings Cross looking like this!" he blustered.

"What, Draco?" Mrs. Weasley asked sweetly. "You don't like having red hair?" Indeed, Mrs. Weasley had given Draco bright ginger hair and freckles. He truly looked like a Weasley. He spluttered furiously, indignant at being laughed at like this.

"For once I agree with the Ferret, Mum. I really DON'T want to look like I'm related to Malfoy," said Ron with a look of disgust. "Can you think of something else to do with him?

"Hate to say it kid," said Moody to Draco, "but this get-up works. You'll look like one of the older Weasley brothers accompanying this lot to Platform 9 3/4. This disguise stays."

"BUGGER!" Ron and Draco said in unison.

"Still have the hots for him, Gin?" Harry chuckled softly in Ginny ear.

"Shut it, Harry! I've never 'had the hots for him'. But as you asked, I do think he's quite handsome like that, in a brotherly way."

"Gather round all," Mrs. Weasley said handing a woolen knit hat to Ron. As everyone gathered closely around the hat, Hermione found herself in very close quarters behind Draco, who was looking very disgruntled at his indignity.

In spite of her severe distaste for Malfoy, Hermione found him strangely attractive in his current state, and she thought she would take this opportunity to catch a whiff of him. She wouldn't put it past him to wear some sort of potion that would ensnare a girl. She was only protecting Ginny after all! She couldn't smell anything just standing next to him. _At least he has good taste and doesn't bathe in the stuff._ Hermione maneuvered closer to him and stepped on tip toes trying to get closer to his general neck region.

Unfortunately Draco looked over his shoulder and observed her unusual behavior. "Bloody hell Granger, back off!" At that same moment she felt a familiar tug in her middle, and the next moment she was thrown against Draco and they all landed in a heap together in an alley outside the train station. Hermione had landed on top of Draco with her nose firmly planted in his neck. "Weasley! Get your woman off of me!" Draco bellowed in horror. Hermione rolled off of him very quickly, never more embarrassed. Ginny was on the ground giggling uncontrollably; apparently she'd witnessed the entire incident and had guessed exactly what Hermione was doing. Hermione began giggling with her, neither of them bothering to get up.

"What's wrong with them?" Draco asked as he, Ron and Harry looked down onto the girls behaving strangely.

"Mental!" said Ron, as he offered a hand to Hermione.

"Completely nutters!" added Harry, while lifting Ginny gently.

"Every now and again, they turn into girls on us," Ron shuddered. "Dead annoying really."

Draco looked at Ron warily. "You really are a twisted bastard Weasley, did you know that?"

"Move along, you lot," called Mrs. Weasley as she appeared at the end of the alley.

Ginny and Hermione fell in step behind the boys.

"Well?" whispered Ginny.

"That's lovely. Find out what that is. Ron needs some for Christmas!" Both girls giggled madly again and the boys just walked faster.

In short order they had all passed through the barrier to Platform 9 ¾. Draco said goodbye to his mother with a dignified kiss on the cheek, slightly disgusted by kissing her shriveled disguise. Mrs. Weasley was engulfing each of them, even a very surprised Draco, in tight embraces. "Draco, dear," she whispered, "it was a pleasure having you look like a Weasley." Furious, he stomped off to find Mad Eye.

"All right, Moody, change me back, before my last shred of self-control snaps," growled Draco.

He beckoned Draco to follow him to a corner, and he quickly removed the charm, restoring Draco's normal appearance. He brushed off his robe, as if wiping away cookie crumbs and hurried away from Moody.

He quickly looked around to see who was watching.

"Draco!" they heard a girl's voice from across the platform.

Draco's face immediately brightened as he searched the crowd for the source of the voice. He finally spotted the raven haired girl running towards him.

"Hello, young lady!" he said as she launched herself into his arms, and planted a very friendly kiss on him that he happily returned.

"Just friends," Ginny muttered to Harry.

"Wish you'd greet me like that!" Harry muttered back and was rewarded with a sharp elbow to the ribs.

"You prat! Where have you been? Not one owl all summer! The owls I sent came back undelivered. I didn't know what to think!" Pansy Parkinson chastised Draco.

"I'll explain later."

Pansy looked around and noticed Draco's company for the first time. Her eyes widened, and then darkened. "What are you doing with them?" she whispered.

"I'm not **with** them! I'm just with them. I'll explain later. Let's go," Draco gathered his belongings, waved to his mother and walked quickly toward the train with Pansy.

"Wish I could be a beetle on the wall for **that** conversation. Okay, come on everyone," Ron spurred everyone into action. "We need to claim a compartment before they're all taken."

As they approached the train, Ginny was pulled away from them by a large crowd of friends greeting her. "Go ahead guys. I'll catch up later."

Harry, Ron and Hermione settled their belongings into an empty compartment. Outside the window, Harry could see Ginny on the platform surrounded by her friends, enthusiastically greeting them all and his heart sank. _She has her own friends at school. She has her own life at school. She doesn't need me and all my problems. I miss her already. _

"Come on, Ron," Hermione said. "We need to get to the Prefects' car for the meeting. We'll return soon, Harry."

Ron had noticed Harry observing Ginny, and he saw a look on his friend's face he'd never seen before. "I'll be right behind you Hermione," Ron said as Hermione left the car giving Ron a questioning look. Ron came over to the window and watched Ginny as well.

"Harry, do you fancy Ginny?"

"I think so... I don't know. I can't be sure… I don't have much experience. I kissed her, you know, a couple of weeks ago. She rejected me."

Ron chuckled. "That's not possible Harry. What did she say exactly?"

Harry sighed heavily. "She said I only wanted a comfort snog, and I only did it because she was the only girl around. She asked me how I felt about her and I couldn't tell her; I honestly didn't know."

"That's not a rejection mate. She's just being careful with her heart. You know she can't be casual with you, Harry. You could hurt her badly."

"I hadn't thought about it like that." It suddenly dawned on Harry what Ron was saying, and what Ginny had tried to tell him. Maybe she could have feelings for him again, but he couldn't ask her to try until he was sure of his own.

"Would you mind some advice?" Ron asked.

"Course not."

"Don't underestimate the role of best friend. It's the Power Position."

"What?" Harry laughed.

"Seriously! I speak from experience! Think about it Harry. Last year when you were dating Cho, you said she was always complaining about Hermione whenever you talked about Hermione or spent time with Hermione."

"Yeah, she did complain, all the time," Harry remembered.

"Well, did you ever consider ditching Hermione as a friend to please Cho?"

"NO! Of course not. It never entered my mind!" yelped Harry.

"Exactly! Hermione held the Power Position. Boyfriends and girlfriends come and go. Friends aren't that disposable." Ron's gaze turned back to Ginny. "Look at her Harry. I'm her brother and even I can see she's gorgeous. She'll be beating them back with a stick this year. Do you want to be one of the many getting beaten? Or do you want to be the one she tells her troubles to? It would give you some time to work out your feelings, maybe get a little experience of your own." Ron slapped his friend on the back. "Food for thought! I've got to get to that meeting before Hermione throttles me. See ya, Harry!"

"Ron, thanks!" Harry said, with a wide grin.

"I'm deeper than I look mate!" he laughed as he left.

Harry continued to watch Ginny on the platform; she didn't seem at all concerned about getting to the Prefects meeting. Harry chuckled to himself, remembering Ginny's genuine horror when her Prefect badge arrived a week ago. She was more like the twins than he'd ever realized.

Harry saw Dean Thomas approach Ginny with an enthusiastic hug. He watched Ginny hug him stiffly, give him a chaste kiss, then quickly step an arms length away; Harry cringed for Dean. Suddenly, Harry felt eyes watching him; he looked around the platform and met Draco's eyes through the train window. Apparently Draco had witnessed the reunion between Ginny and Dean as well, because he tilted his head towards them, waggled his eyebrows and smirked. Harry couldn't help but laugh at this; somehow that smirk wasn't as offensive as it once was. Poor Dean… he had no idea what he was up against.

"Harry! How are you? Do you mind if we join you?" Harry turned to greet Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood as they entered the car.

"No, not at all. I'm glad for the company," Harry sat and had a very pleasant conversation with Neville and Luna. They had both traveled extensively over their holiday and were regaling Harry about their adventures. It seemed that Ginny's matchmaking efforts were quite successful; Luna was gazing at Neville much in the same way she'd been gazing at Ron all last term. However Neville seemed quite receptive to the attention and blushed continually. He didn't even seem to mind when Luna talked about the Wandering Whangdoodle her father was hoping to locate by Christmas time.

About an hour into their journey, Harry heard Ron's voice in the hallway… "Harry! You have to see this! Really…the most extraordinary thing!" Harry began to stand to go see what Ron was on about, but before he could, Ron was pushed into the car followed by at least eight very pretty, very friendly girls.

"Ron! Where'd they come from?" Harry whispered. Luna and Neville looked startled as well.

"I don't know mate… they're just following me! It seems my animal magnetism finally kicked in!" he said gleefully.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked cautiously.

"She's back in the Prefects' car revising rounds schedules with the new Head Boy, some Ravenclaw git called Marshall," Ron said grouchily.

"Ron! Sit here next to me!" A well-endowed brunette pulled Ron down into the seat next to her own. Ron looked stunned as the girls surrounded him, complementing him and asking him questions about himself. He was polite and responded to their questions, usually with one word answers. The girls' didn't seem to mind that they were doing most of the talking, or that they were competing for his attention.

_It looks like there'll be more than one Weasley beating them off with a stick this year! Can't wait till Hermione sees this! _ Harry was so engrossed watching Ron juggle girls, that it took him several minutes to notice the pretty blond sitting next to him. She wasn't attempting to get Ron's attention but was sitting quietly, shyly glancing at Harry. He recognized her as one of the Chasers on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, but he didn't know her name. Harry stole a few sidelong glances and noticed she had very big, very blue eyes. _ Oh, what the hell!_ Harry took a deep breath, and looked directly at her, giving her a shy, goofy and unknowingly devastating smile and said:

"Hi, I'm Harry. What's your name?"

**Authors Notes:**

Thanks again to Jocjarmom for the beta and for saying Hmmmm…why do the Malfoy's hide all summer and then go to the train station with no protection? And then she came up with the Glamour charm scene.

BTW, thank you to whomever came up with Glamour Charms, I didn't see them listed in HP-Lexicon, so I assume they are part of Fanfiction canon.


	7. Chapter Six: Changes

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 6: Changes**

"The Munchkins get smaller every year, I swear!" Ron said as they watched the parade of terrified first years file into the Great Hall for the Sorting Ceremony.

"Alcot, Emmet," Professor McGonagall called. A tiny black haired boy climbed onto the stool in front of the professor.

"Look at the shifty eyes; that's a Slytherin!" Ron pronounced.

"No way, Ravenclaw," countered Hermione.

"I'll agree. Ravenclaw," chimed Ginny

"Why do we always play this game?" whined Harry. "We never get it right!"

"Gryffindor!" pronounced the sorting hat.

They all clapped and cheered and welcomed the new Gryffindor into the fold.

"We play it to keep our mind off the fact that they won't feed us until the bloody ceremony is over! Where were you girls on the train today, anyway? You never showed up!"

"Are you kidding Ron?" Ginny exclaimed. "That compartment was so packed with girls we couldn't get near it!"

"Slytherin," Ron predicted, looking at the young girl on the stool.

"You always say Slytherin Ron. What's with that? Hufflepuff," predicted Harry.

"They all look like sneaky Slytherin snakes at that age!" Ron commented.

"You'll make a wonderful father someday Ron. Gryffindor," giggled Ginny.

"Hufflepuff!" announced the hat.

"Yes! I got one!" exclaimed Harry.

"Did you boys meet any nice girls on the train today?" Hermione inquired with an innocent smirk.

"Sure, they were all nice," Ron said.

"I think I have a date," Harry added.

"You think?" Hermione giggled.

"Well, I don't know. We're studying in the library evening after next. Is that a date?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Yes Harry, within the realm of our limited existence, that constitutes a date. Congratulations!"

Harry grinned at Ginny. "Cool! I have a date!" Then he leaned over and whispered to Ginny, "I wish I remembered her name."

"Harry!" Ginny laughed. "Rule number one: Girls like it when you remember their name! Who is she?"

"She's a Hufflepuff, your year. Chaser on the Quidditch team, long dark blonde hair, pretty."

"Sitting across from Susan Bones?" Ginny pointed subtly. Harry craned his neck to look. It turned out the blonde girl was also looking towards Harry, but broke into giggles and looked away when he met her eyes.

"Yes."

"Her name is Constance Cromwell. She's very nice."

"Constance! That's it, I remember now."

"What about you Ron?" Hermione asked. "Do you have a date?" She desperately tried to appear as if she really didn't care about the outcome of her question.

"Nah! Many tried, none succeeded!" he said waggling his eyebrows at Hermione, making her grin and blush.

"Simons, Astrid," Professor McGonagall called.

"Oh, look at this one! Hufflepuff," Ginny exclaimed as the latest firsty climbed onto the stool. She was a very delicate looking girl, with a purple velvet ribbon holding back her pale blond hair which fell in soft ringlets down her back. Ginny couldn't really see clearly, but it seemed her huge eyes were violet. She was breathtaking.

"She's beautiful, she looks like an angel," Hermione exclaimed. "Hufflepuff, definitely."

"Now, that's what I call a girly girl!" Ron cringed. "I'll go with Hufflepuff too."

"I'll say Slytherin, just to be contrary!" Harry laughed.

"Slytherin!" the sorting hat exclaimed.

"Whoa! Did you see that? The hat didn't even touch her head before it called Slytherin!" Ron was shocked. "That doesn't bode well."

Ginny had been sitting with her back to the Slytherin table, but now she turned to watch the girl walk past her. She wanted to see if her eyes were really violet, and they were. Her eyes were the most extraordinary color Ginny had ever seen, but the little girl seemed quite tense and pale and overwhelmed by her new surroundings. Ginny felt sorry for the poor little thing, it must be a mistake… she can't belong in Slytherin House.

Ginny met Draco's eyes as the little girl passed by her; he nodded to her and returned to his conversation with Pansy. She had barely seen him all day, but he passed her in the aisle of the train as he came out of the Prefect's meeting, smirked at her and said nothing. Then he had sequestered himself in a compartment on the train with Pansy Parkinson for the remainder of the trip. He was sitting only six meters away from her right now, but he might as well have been in another world. Last night seemed like a decade away.

Finally, to Ron's great relief, the feast appeared before them and they all began to eat.

"Hey Gin, game of chess after dinner?" Harry asked.

"I can't, I promised Dean I'd spend some time with him; I spent about two minutes with him on the train. Sorry."

"No problem," he said, trying to hide his disappointment.

"I'll play with ya mate!" Ron chimed in. "I'm sick of getting my butt kicked by her anyway; no fear of that playing you." Harry glowered at him. "Hey Gin, did Hermione fill you in on what you missed in the Prefect's meeting today?"

"No. Come to think of it, I'm rather surprised; I've been waiting for a lecture about my responsibilities."

Ron and Hermione grinned at one another.

"She has so much to learn, hasn't she Hermione?" Ron smirked.

"Yes she does!" Hermione giggled, in spite of herself. "Ginny when a Prefect fails to attend a meeting, they don't get lectured; they get assigned to whatever awful duty is being doled out at the time."

"Oh no! What do I have to do?" Ginny gasped.

"Well, the least popular night to patrol the castle in Friday night, and now it's yours," Hermione informed her.

"EVERY Friday night?" Ginny exclaimed. "What if I have a date?"

"Oh, you'll have a date alright!" Ron laughed. "Tell her the best part Hermione!"

"Well last year, certain prefects, from a certain house were abusing their point taking privileges. So this year Dumbledore is requiring that prefects partner with someone outside of their house. Promote inter-house unity and all that," Hermione was clearly not taking as much glee from the situation as Ron.

Ginny's eyes went wide. "What are you telling me Hermione?"

"Malfoy. You've been partnered with Malfoy." Hermione's lips twitched the slightest bit; however Ron was howling. Harry was grinding his teeth.

Ginny's expression was positively Slytherin in its blankness. One couldn't tell what she was thinking; however she was very confused by Ron's reaction.

"How did that happen? And Ron, what's so funny? I would think you'd be in a strop about this."

"Well firstly, I've been told to say out of your love life, so this is me staying out of it. Secondly, I figure it's only a matter of time before you Bat-Bogey the bastard into oblivion. I'm all for that! Better him then me certainly! Thirdly, I was impressed by how quickly he jumped on the opportunity. The instant Headboy-git Marshall noticed you were missing and assigned you Friday nights, Malfoy jumped at the chance. 'I'll take Fridays, with the Weaslette,' he said. You've got to admire a man with a plan!" Ron chuckled. "Seriously Gin, if he gives you any trouble, you come to me. Okay?" Ginny nodded.

Dinner ended and it was time to roundup the first years and herd them back to Gryffindor Tower. Harry wanted no part of this exercise.

"I'll see you guys back in the common room," he said standing.

"Harry, don't forget the new password is 'Glamour Charm,'" Ginny smirked, remembering the morning's events.

"Really, and who came up with that password?" eyed Harry.

"Ron," she smiled. Harry started to leave the Great Hall when she called, "Wait, Harry! Rule number two: Girls like it when you smile and wave at them from across the room; even if you're only on your way out." Harry grinned and nodded.

Ginny and Hermione watched as Harry did as he was told; sending the group of girls surrounding Constance Cromwell into a fit of giggles and whispers.

"Ginny, you'll turn him into decent boyfriend material yet," Hermione laughed.

"It's a big job," Ginny giggled.

"My only question is: Are you training him for someone else, or yourself?" Hermione asked with a smirk.

Ginny blushed. "Hermione! Don't you think I have enough on my plate at the moment between Dean and Malfoy? You want me to open the Harry Potter can of worms as well?"

"It might be a can of worms worth opening in the near future. It's time may have come. Besides I don't think that can is sealed as tightly as you claim it is," Hermione said dryly as they assisted Ron in lining up the first years.

The sound of loud bawling suddenly echoed through the Great Hall. Ginny saw that the little violet eyed Slytherin girl had broken down and was crying her eyes out. Ginny's heart broke for her.

"What's wrong with you?" Malfoy asked her sharply.

"I waaaaant myyyyy mummmeeeee!" she bawled looking up at him. She was so tiny she barely reached his chest.

Malfoy growled in disgust. "You're a Slytherin now; you don't need your mummy! And Slytherins don't cry!"

"I waaaaant myyyyy mummmeeeee!" she bawled again.

"I don't think you're a Slytherin at all! I think you're a Hufflepuff!" Malfoy taunted viciously, earning several nasty looks from the Hufflepuff table.

The little girl's eyes met Malfoy's with a gleam of defiance.

"Is that what you want? You want me to march you over there and give you to Hufflepuff?" The girl shook her head vehemently and she swallowed her sobs.

"Good then, buck up and get in line! The rest of you pay attention. If you get lost on the way to the dungeons, I'm not going looking for you! We lost two last year, only found one skeleton so far. Move along."

Ginny's mouth hung open in horror.

"That's quite a lover-boy you've got there Gin. I hope you're very happy together. Oy! Munchkins, this way," Ron chuckled as they began to lead the first years out of the Great Hall.

"What was I thinking? Did I think he'd miraculously changed? He might be even worse now! Oh Gods! I have to spend every Friday night with that monster?" Ginny groaned.

After an hour of settling the first years into their rooms, which consisted of calming several crying jags and hunting down missing stuffed animals, Ron, Hermione and Ginny joined Harry in the common room.

"I swear we weren't that immature when we were first years! And some of them are randy little buggers!" Ron puffed as he took his seat at the chess board opposite Harry. "We didn't cry when he came to school for the first time, did we Harry?"

"No, I was too happy to be away from the Dursleys," he said making his first chess move.

"Ron they're just children, show some compassion," Hermione huffed as she settled in to read a book.

"Right, well I'm just glad for a little peace and quiet."

"Mr. Weasley, a moment please," Professor McGonagall had suddenly appeared in the common room.

"Oh, bloody Hell, what now? Somebody need their bum wiped?" Ron grumbled under his breath. "Ginny, play Harry while I'm away, will ya?"

"Yeah, sure." Ginny moved into Ron's seat as he left the room with the Professor.

"I thought you were with Dean tonight?" Harry asked.

Ginny shrugged. "I'm waiting for him. He's up in the dorm with Seamus; he already spent the entire train ride with Seamus! I swear, he's happier to see him than he is to see me."

"Boys!" Harry said mockingly.

"They're only trouble!" Ginny said, as she glared at Harry for teasing her.

"Umm…" Harry began, "it's not really my business… I'm just curious about the protocol of such things… but…"

"Spit it out Harry," Ginny giggled.

"Are you going to tell Dean about your hypothetical date with Malfoy?" he asked cautiously.

"Oh Gods!" Ginny groaned in agony. "How am I going to get out of that? You should have seen Malfoy after you left. He was a horror, yelling at that poor little violet-eyed girl who was crying! Oh Gods, and Dean! I don't know, do I tell Dean?" Ginny's head was in her hands.

"If it were me, I'd want to know," Harry said, trying to be helpful.

"But that date won't ever happen. Do I have to tell Dean?" Ginny pleaded.

"I think you do, Gin. You accepted a date with another bloke. Even if the circumstances are a bit unusual, it's an important bit of information."

"Hermione?" Ginny pleaded desperately.

"I'm afraid I have to agree with Harry on this one Ginny," Hermione supplied without raising her head from her book.

"Damn you, Potter!" Ginny pouted.

"What did I do? I'm not the one snogging Malfoy."

"We did not snog! He barely touched me!" Ginny said indignantly.

"Barely?" Harry asked raising his eyebrows.

"My hand, he held my hand and stuff. I've done far more questionable things with you over the past month. Should I tell Dean about those too?" Ginny asked tartly.

"No," Harry supplied quickly. "No need to mention any of that."

Hermione snickered into her book, but said nothing.

"Convenient conscience you have there, Potter," Ginny said coldly. "Alright, I'll tell him. Damn, I was hoping for a good snog tonight too."

Harry chuckled and shrugged, "So snog him first, and **then** tell him."

"Damn you, Potter! What the bloody Hell did you do?" Ron roared, as he reentered the common room.

"Pardon?" Harry shrieked in surprise, wondering how he could be cursed by two different Weasleys in less than five minutes.

"I don't need your charity Potter! You turned down Quidditch Captain, didn't you?" Ron hissed at him.

Harry grinned, his eyes lighting up for his friend. "No, she didn't offer it to me. You captain then?"

"Ron!" Hermione gasped putting down her book and sitting forward in her chair.

"Ron, that's brilliant!" Ginny exclaimed jumping out of her seat.

"No way, I don't believe you! What did you do?" Ron said, glaring at Harry.

Harry sighed heavily. "Professor McGonagall called me into her office while you three were busy herding first years. She asked me who I thought was most qualified to be Quidditch Captain this year and I answered her honestly. I told her you'd been playing the game your entire life, you knew each position well enough to train new players and that you were better at strategy than anyone in the school. She said: 'Thank you Mr. Potter, I tend to agree with your assessment, you may go.' I was being honest, not charitable."

Ron was dumbfounded. "Blimey, sorry mate."

"Congratulations Ron," Harry said sincerely. Ron stood there, with his mouth hanging open.

"Ron!" Ginny cried jumping up and down and forcing Hermione to stand and jump with her, "what's wrong with you? You're Quidditch captain!"

A slow smile blossomed on Ron's lips spreading to his face, and finally his eyes burst with joy. He jumped up and grabbed his bouncing sister in a fierce hug and spun her around. "I'm bloody Quidditch Captain!" he howled. He then put his sister down and threw his arms around Hermione to spin her and started to lift her up. But instead of spinning her, he pulled her close and kissed her quickly on the mouth. Harry and Ginny suddenly found the chess game very fascinating. Time stood still for Ron and Hermione, as they realized what Ron had done. Ron slowly lowered Hermione till she was on her own two feet again and he was no longer holding her, their shocked gazes never breaking.

"Right then," Ron said clearing his throat, and looking towards the fireplace.

"Congratulations Ron, I'm really happy for you. You'll be a brilliant captain!" As Hermione spoke she grabbed one of Ron's hands and gave it a gentle squeeze. He quickly looked back at her again.

"Thanks, … 'Mione, er… Hermione," Ron gulped, and then grinned.

"Hey Gin, sorry I took so long, ready to go?" Dean said as he burst into the room.

"Damn! It was just getting good!" she whispered to Harry. "Yeah Dean, let's go." Ginny and Dean left through the portrait hole.

Ron and Hermione's discomfort was becoming painful for them, as well as for Harry who was now sitting in front of the chess board with no one on the other side.

"Ron you should… um… go back to your chess game," Hermione said to offer a way out. He finally turned away from her.

"Alright."

"So Ron, when are Quidditch tryouts?" Harry asked to get Ron's mind off the kiss.

"Bloody Hell, I'm the Quidditch Captain! Um… tryouts as soon as possible, yeah. I'll book the pitch tomorrow and post the notice tomorrow night. I've got a lot of work to do, but we are definitely going to win the Cup this year, Harry!"

Hermione chuckled at how easily she was forgotten.

It was well after curfew when Dean stomped into the sixth year boy's dormitory mid-rant. Harry and Ron were awake, still discussing plans for the new Quidditch season.

"Bloody fucking git! ... Sodding Malfoy! ... Bloody Hell! Your bloody sister is balmy! What the bloody Hell is a hypothetical date?" he raged at Ron as soon as he spotted him.

"Ginny mentioned that, did she?" Ron cringed.

"Mentioned what? The fact that she's already lining-up blokes for after we break-up? Yeah, she might have mentioned that!"

"Dean, it's nothing to worry about really. She hates him, I'm sure she only accepted to shut him up. It'll never happen! She won't break-up with you for him," Ron said, absolute in his conviction.

"Are you kidding? It's Malfoy we're talking about. He'll poison me, I know he will!"

"Harry, tell him," Ron urged "tell him there's nothing to worry about."

Harry's mouth opened to speak but nothing came out. Harry was fairly certain that there was quite a bit to worry about, and he was already worrying, but he wasn't about to bring the wrath of Dean **and** Ron down on Ginny.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Dean continued, "I finally get a girlfriend who's nice and pretty and doesn't mind talking about Quidditch, then she has to come back from summer holiday transformed into the hottest girl in school! I ask you, what did I do to deserve this?" Dean was looking at Ron, expecting an answer of some kind.

Ron looked as though he'd been kicked in the stomach. "Hang on…what did you say? I mean Ginny's pretty, I know that. But 'the **hottest** girl in school'? She's not… my little Ginny? ... Please tell me she's not," Ron looked desperately at Dean who nodded at him. "Harry?"

Harry cringed; he'd been praying to the Gods not to be pulled into this conversation. He slowly met Ron's eyes, which were gleaming with barely contained panic. "Yeah, she is," Harry said simply.

"Oh bloody Hell! This is worse than I thought."

Harry felt he had to intervene on Ginny's behalf, or else Ron would be fitting her for a chastity belt in the morning. "Ron, it doesn't change anything. Ginny's fine, she can handle herself. You **promised** to stay out of her love life."

"Can we get back to the fact that Malfoy's going to poison me?" Dean interrupted.

"Thomas," Ron said, "Malfoy's the least of your problems. I've told you she HATES him, that date will NEVER HAPPEN! Frankly Dean, it's every other bloke in this school you need to worry about, except for me and Harry," Ron paused, his eyes shifting to Harry who was not looking at him, "well, me anyway."

"Oh, brilliant! Potter's after her too?" Dean exploded.

"Ginny and I are friends! I'm going to sleep now! Good night!" Harry resolved that Ginny would have to handle her brother and her boyfriend herself. He drew his bed curtains around with a huff.

Harry woke at dawn, dressed quickly and grabbed his broom. He'd grown to depend on his morning flies to clear his head. He'd forgotten to ask Ginny if she'd join him now that they were back at school, and he was pleasantly surprised to find her waiting for him in the common room. They had a pleasant fly together and returned to the tower to put on their class robes for their day.

During the walk to the Great Hall for breakfast, Harry discovered Ron's animal magnetism on the train was not a fluke. The boys were besieged by girls all along the trip; Harry found that if he smiled at one or two of them, they would happily talk to him instead of Ron. Harry wasn't too proud to skim a few girls off the top of his best mate's bounty and Ron didn't seem to notice or care. The boys happily paused to talk to friendly girls along the way.

Ginny and Hermione, however did not pause and instead rolled their eyes at one another and continued on their journey. During the next few days at school, Ginny also noticed a marked increase in the amount of attention she received from boys; in fact, boys she'd never seen before would often walk up to her and begin a conversation. This seemed to frustrate Dean immensely, because they would often talk to Ginny while Dean was standing there, and completely ignore his existence.

Hermione, however, noticed no increase in her popularity like her friends were enjoying; hence, she often found herself walking alone to classes and meals during that first week of school.

Hermione Granger knew she wasn't ugly, but she'd never thought of herself as pretty either; she thought of herself as plain, brown and serviceable. It's true she didn't have the classic beauty of Lavender Brown or the exotic loveliness of Parvati Patil, or even the girl-next-door sexiness that Ginny seemed to have developed; however, make no mistake… Hermione Granger was a beauty. She was developing the kind of lithe elegance that commanded attention; her beauty commingled with her intelligence to create a soft glow emanating from within. She had the kind of beauty the shiny girls could only dream of: beauty that would last a lifetime.

Hermione had always taken as proof of her plainness that boys almost never approached her, Victor Krum being the exception. Some boys didn't fall victim to the charms of the "shiny girl" and weren't intimidated by intelligence. These boys had kept an eye on Hermione Granger over the years, and were suddenly noticing that for the first time in over five years Ronald Weasley was not standing constant guard over her. There were a few brave (maybe foolish) souls who felt that it was time to make their move.

But we get ahead of ourselves! Back to the first day of classes.

Draco sat alone at his potions desk as class was about to begin. The other Slytherins had already chosen a partner for the term and they all seemed to avoid Draco. Things had been rather tense in Slytherin house for Draco; no one dared to be openly hostile, he was still a prefect and a Malfoy after all, but few were friendly either. They seemed to be biding their time, waiting for an indication from him as to where his loyalties lay. Parkinson was there for him, as he knew she would be, but she'd dropped potions for her sixth year, thus leaving him alone.

The only two empty seats in the room were next to him, and next to Granger. Then, he watched as Weasel and Scarhead raced into class late; he'd seen them amidst a gaggle of dim-witted females in the corridor earlier. _How'd those two twits score high enough on their O.W.L.s to make it into this class? Damn! I'm going to be stuck with one of them._

Ron slid into the empty seat next to Hermione, leaving Harry standing alone gaping around the room desperately.

"Mr. Potter, take a seat. Five points from Gryffindor for tardiness," Professor Snape said as he breezed into the room, "and Mr. Potter, you're expected in the Headmaster's office this evening at seven."

Harry rolled his eyes and took the seat next to Malfoy; both boys had sour expressions on their faces.

"I'm not going to coddle you the way the Mudblood does Potter," said Draco. "Pull your weight or you will fail." Harry shrugged his shoulders as if he could care less.

"Pass your Polyjuice essays forward," Professor Snape drawled icily. "We'll begin this term by brewing Polyjuice potion. As I'm sure you've all written stellar essays, I'm sure you'll need no guidance from me on the practical portion of this class. Begin." Professor Snape began reading the pile of essays before him.

"Well, let's get to it Malfoy," Harry said as he headed for the supply cupboard. Harry gathered the necessary ingredients and passed them to Draco standing behind him. Once he was finished, he noticed Draco looking at him strangely.

"What Malfoy? Did I forget something?" Harry asked.

"No, everything's here, but you just collected 15 ingredients without referring to the book. You have it memorized?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess I do."

The two boys worked well together, considering they barely spoke to one another. They prepared the initial ingredients and set them to boil in the cauldron quickly and efficiently. They set the brewing potions in the cauldron aside, knowing it needed at least a month to brew. They were cleaning their work area and preparing to leave before anyone else had finished. As they left class, they both noted the dark glare that Hermione shot them.

"Think we should go back and volunteer to help Granger?" Draco chuckled.

"Not a good idea," Harry answered with a grin, as he began to walk away from Draco.

"Potter," Draco called after him, "tell the Weaslette I'll come fetch her at 9 p.m. sharp on Friday."

"I'll tell her, but don't expect her to be happy," Harry, said walking away from him with a dismissive wave.

That evening, Harry entered Professor Dumbledore's office at the appointed time. Harry looked around, and although he couldn't put his finger on it, something felt different. The room felt smaller somehow, less intimidating than he remembered.

"Come in Harry, come in. I'm sorry I didn't have more time to catch-up with you at Grimmauld Place; reading your godfather's will was a rather… er, serious business. I trust you had a pleasant summer?" Professor Dumbledore asked as Harry entered his office. Snape was already there with a scowl on his face.

"Yes sir, once I was allowed to go to the Burrow it was quite pleasant," Harry said sitting in the chair the Headmaster had indicated.

"Lemon drop?" he offered. Harry shook his head, no.

"What's this about Professor? You mentioned Voldemort had been trying to access my dreams again. Why?"

"Yes Harry, I'd like Professor Snape to attempt Legimency on you to determine if there has been any change in your abilities."

"No," Harry said with an authority that surprised him as well as the two professors, "not until my questions have been answered."

"Potter!" Snape sneered, "watch your tone!"

"Pardon me Professor Snape, but last spring I learned I'll be forced to play a rather important and unpleasant role in vanquishing the madman that you and your friends so diligently brought to power. Therefore, you'll excuse me when I now insist on being treated like an equal in the process. I will no longer submit to the secrecy and lies that I've been subject to in the past. It's my life and the lives of my friends and loved ones that are at risk here; I will have more control… or I won't participate." Harry didn't know where his words were coming from, but he felt surprisingly comfortable saying them.

"Potter! You arrogant little…"

"Severus, enough," the Head Master, "I agree with you Harry, I realized last spring that keeping you uninformed is just as dangerous as the alternative. We'll try it your way unless it proves to be unadvisable."

"Headmaster, he can't possibly be trusted…" Snape hissed.

"Severus, we've all faced moments when we had to trust against our better judgment; for you, this will have to be one of those times. I, for one, think Mr. Potter is ready for more openness and responsibility," Professor Dumbledore paused to gather his thoughts, and choose his words carefully. "Harry, intelligence received over the summer has revealed two things to us: first, as you know Voldemort has been unsuccessfully trying to access your dreams. I believe he is trying to draw you out to force a battle before you're ready. Although we don't know his reasons, he seems to think there is some urgency to bring this battle to fruition, for a reason that didn't exist even a few months ago.

"Second, the trial of the Death Eaters captured last spring will commence next month. Voldemort supporters within the Ministry are working feverishly to delay and undermine the trial. There have been several break-out attempts at Azkaban. It's unlike Voldemort to show concern for those who follow him once they've been captured, but he doesn't want these particular Death Eaters tried and convicted. Again, we don't know why."

"What do you need me to do?" Harry said quietly.

"Several things. Most important, I need you to be keenly aware of your motivations for any of your actions. If you suspect that your thoughts are being tampered with in the slightest, do not act upon them. Do not leave the Hogwarts grounds without proper backup. It's very important that the trial next month be successful; we will need you and your compatriots to testify. Finally, I need you to allow Professor Snape to access you abilities. May he commence?"

Harry sighed and nodded, turning to meet Snape's cold glare. Snape tried for several minutes to gain access to Harry's mind, but to no avail. He finally gave up in frustration.

"Congratulations Mr. Potter," Snape's tone dripped with insincerity, "your Occlumency skills have increased a thousand fold; I don't suppose we can assume you've been practicing?"

"No, I haven't. Not at all," Harry replied dryly.

"Harry," Professor Dumbledore began, "I would hope our new and more open relationship would go both ways. Tell me, is there anything else you've experienced that you would consider out of the ordinary."

"Yes, I suppose there is." Harry looked into Snape's eyes and wondered what he was thinking, just as he had done at the Burrow with Ron. "I can tell you that Professor Snape is concerned that this evening's roast beef is not agreeing with him."

"Potter! How dare you!" Snape bellowed, as he shut his mind to him. Harry merely smirked at him.

"Harry, you'll have to resume working with Professor Snape to hone your new skills. Anything else?"

"Well there is something else, but I don't know what it is. It's hard to explain, but things have become clearer to me. For starters, I can think more clearly."

"For example?" Dumbledore asked.

"Professor Snape's Polyjuice essay was very easy for me to write. Then, today Malfoy and I began brewing it and I remembered how to do it, word for word as though I was reading the text; that's not like me."

"It certainly isn't," Snape drawled.

"Interesting Harry, I'd be curious to know if this ability continues into the school year with all your studies. Well, Harry we've taken enough of your time this evening, you should return to your friends; we'll talk again soon."

"I have some requests of my own Professor," Harry said.

"Yes, Harry?"

"I want Apparition lessons for myself and my friends, as well as approval to get our licenses as soon as possible. We're only putting ourselves in more danger by not being able to Apparate."

"That's a very good idea. I'll see what I can do."

"I want Hermione to have full privileges in the restricted section of the library."

"Done."

"I want myself and my friends to have private lessons in dueling. We have to learn to fight multiple attackers at once. Last spring's battle taught me that."

"Harry I need you to concentrate on avoiding battles in the near future. However, I'll speak with Professor Shacklebolt. I'm sure he can take some time from his Defense against the Dark Arts duties to tutor you. Anything else?"

"Yes. I'd like to continue the DA this year. I do think there's some interest among the students."

"Another excellent idea. I'd like to be the faculty advisor of that myself if you don't mind?"

"No, of course not professor. I was thinking Wednesday evenings."

"I believe that will work."

"That's all."

"Very well then; good night Harry."

"Good night, professors," Harry wasted no time in making a speedy retreat.

"He's matured," the Headmaster commented after Harry had gone.

"He's only grown more arrogant," Snape hissed.

"What did you make of his abilities, Severus?"

"I believe it's a natural clearing of the mind that happens to boys his age. I did catch a glimpse of something, but he was highly motivated to hide it from me and he quickly tucked it away out of site."

"What do you mean Severus?"

Snape rolled his eyes in disgust. "I mean the boy has only one thing on his mind and I doubt he's even aware of it."

A slow grin crossed Professor Dumbledore face. "And that would be?"

"Ginny Weasley."

The first few days of classes sped by as everyone settled into their new routines. Ron had set the following Monday for Quidditch tryouts and had spent a lot of time trying to recruit the players he most wanted to attend.

"Harry, will you and Ron work with me on Saturday, get me ready for tryouts?" Ginny asked one evening at dinner.

"Sure we'll give you a workout Gin," said Ron, preparing to stuff a huge roll in his mouth. "Have you seen Hermione? I've barely seen her the past few days, and now she's not coming to dinner."

"Well, what do you expect, Ron? You're always chatting up some random girl lately." Ginny said acidly.

Suddenly there was a loud pained scream from the Slytherin table. Ginny turned to see Malfoy jump onto the table in order to cross over to the other side.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Malfoy screamed as he hurled himself over the table and grabbed the little violet eyed girl by the arm. She attempted to run away from him, but he grabbed her, picked her up, and slung her over his shoulder as he left the Great Hall. The little girl was panicked, kicking and screaming for help. Professor Snape had watched the incident casually from the teachers table, then returned to reading his _Daily Prophet_.

"Oh look! Malfoy's got a girl friend! You're off the hook, Gin," Harry pointed chuckling.

"It's not funny! Shouldn't we help her? We don't know what he's going to do to her," Ginny cried, slightly panicked.

"We can't interfere in another house Ginny; we'd get ourselves in trouble. Look at Snape, he's not even concerned," Harry said.

Ron leaned in and spoke quietly. "I heard that little girl is Muggleborn. And Malfoy hates her."

"That's awful! Poor thing," Ginny exclaimed.

"Oh," Harry remembered suddenly, "Gin, Malfoy said he'd fetch you at 9 p.m. sharp tomorrow," Harry grinned at her wickedly.

"Shut it, Potter! You too, Ron!"

"Hermione! Where have you been?" Ron asked, as Hermione slid into her seat and quickly began to eat.

"Oh, Marshall asked me to help him with something. We haven't finished yet; I'm just grabbing a quick bite and then heading back."

"Oh yes, **Ryan **has another little job he needs your help with. Hmmm... that's convenient," Ron snapped.

"You shouldn't let him work you so hard Hermione, there are other prefects you know," Ginny interjected, giving her brother an icy glare. "At least eat more slowly, you'll make yourself sick," Ginny said with concern.

"I don't mind, really."

Ron growled under his breath and forced his attention back to Harry and Quidditch.

On Friday evening Ginny was in the Gryffindor common room at the end of a long first week of classes. She now understood why Fridays were the least favorite night to patrol; she been up since dawn and was exhausted, and the thought of patrolling for the next four hours just made her more weary. Ginny was trying to study unsuccessfully; the thought that she'd be forced to patrol with Malfoy just aggravated the large knot of dread in the pit of her stomach.

"Ginny, your date's here; he's waiting outside," Ron grinned smugly as he entered the common room.

"I may as well get this over with," Ginny grumbled as she made her way to the portrait hole.

"Have you seen Hermione? She's disappeared again." Ron asked, rather peeved.

Ginny shrugged grumpily and exited.

**Authors Notes:**

Thanks once again to Jocjarmom for the Beta, and for the long hours she's putting into this story, much to the dismay of her husband! Everyone should check out her 'Between Fantasy & Reality' outtakes, if you haven't already.

I have to give a couple of credits:

Draco's line: "If you get lost on the way to the dungeons I'm not going looking for you! We lost two last year; only found one skeleton so far." I have no idea where that came from, but I'm pretty sure it's not original. If anyone recognizes it let me know so I can give proper credit.

Also: Draco's cheesy habit of calling girl's he likes 'young lady' was lifted directly from my husband! While we were dating I never could decide if I found it horrifying or charming. It must have worked, I married him!


	8. Chapter Seven: Two Sides to Every Story

The Devils Triangle

Chapter 7: Two Sides to Every Story

"Malfoy," Ginny growled as she exited Gryffindor tower.

"Young Lady," Draco nodded to her and raised one eyebrow cautiously, trying to determine the cause of her mood.

"Which route would you like to patrol?" he asked.

"Just lead. I'll follow," she said blankly.

"Alright, I like to start in the dungeons and work my way up to the Astronomy Tower."

"Whatever."

After several minutes of trying to make polite conversation and receiving short, terse and sometimes rude answers, Draco gave up. The next half hour passed in complete silence as they made their way around the dungeons. Draco finally snapped.

"Weasley! This is going to be a miserable evening if you don't snap out of your strop! This could be fun if you'd let it!" he almost pouted.

"Humpf!"

"What's wrong? What could I have possibly done? I've barely seen you and haven't spoken to you all week… or is that the problem?"

"You were just your normal self," she grumbled.

Draco stopped and grabbed Ginny by both shoulders forcing her to face him.

"What… did… I… do?" he hissed and refused to release her.

"You're torturing that poor little violet eyed girl, just because she's Muggleborn!"

Draco was shocked. "Astrid? This is about the Mudblood monster? Weaslette, you have no idea what you're talking about!"

"She was crying her eyes out for her mother and you were yelling at her! She doesn't belong in Slytherin house, and you were absolutely horrid to her."

Draco smiled. "Try telling her that. She's Slytherin to the core and proud of it. Did you see when she was sorted? The Sorting Hat didn't even touch her head before it called 'Slytherin'; the last time that happened was for me."

"It could still be a mistake… she was crying!"

"Of course she was crying! It's a very effective tool for a pretty little girl! I'm probably the first person she's ever encountered who didn't fall for it," Draco sighed heavily. "Ginny, I'm going tell you this once, and then I'm going to expect you to stay out of Slytherin politics. These children are not good little Gryffs who follow orders and do what they're told. They're Slytherin. Every one of them is cunning and ambitious; they all want to be top of the heap, master of all he surveys, alpha dog… whatever you want to call it. They require a firm hand or they'll walk all over you."

"Why did you have to attack her in the Great Hall last night?" Ginny countered.

"I didn't attack her… she attacked me! I was trying to put an end to it!"

"Oh, right! That little girl is a match for you? What could she possibly do to you? **Why** would she attack you?"

"What could she do to me?" Draco pondered for a moment. "This stays between you and me, Ginny; if your brother or Potter catches wind of this you're dead. Understand?" Ginny nodded.

"First, she came up to me at dinner and said, 'Malfoy you're so pretty, you should be a girl.' Then, she hexed me and I grew breasts. She was about to hex me again to make another part of anatomy shrink when I grabbed her and forced her to the hospital wing so she could help Madame Pomfrey reverse the spell. If it hadn't been for my robes you would have seen that I was sporting a pair of large breasts. Huge! Bigger than yours!"

"Mine aren't big, I'm just small!" Ginny snapped defensively.

Draco realized there was no way he could comment further on this subject without landing in deep trouble, so he let it drop.

"When you enter Slytherin house as a Mudblood you have to go on the offensive; she's doing that admirably. She's taking on me."

"Then why do you hate her?"

"I don't hate her. Quite the contrary, I may have to marry the little Mudblood someday. She's a nightmare, **and** she reminds me of ME!"

Ginny stared at Draco blankly.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm torn, I don't know if I want to comment on the arrogance of you wanting to marry someone just like yourself, or on the shock I'm in that you'd consider marrying a Muggleborn."

"It was a joke Weasley, not meant to be taken seriously at all," he said dryly. "But at least you're out of your strop and thinking of ways to insult me… that's an improvement!" he added brightly.

"How can she know so much magic if she's Muggleborn?"

Draco shrugged. "Apparently her parents have strong ties to the wizarding world. She was raised properly… doesn't behave like a muggle at all."

Ginny growled and Draco smirked.

"Perhaps we should change the subject before your strop returns," Draco quipped.

Ginny wasn't entirely convinced, but she was willing to give Draco the benefit of the doubt for the moment.

Ginny grinned. "So… umm… did you enjoy having breasts?"

"Oh! It was brilliant! I tried to get Madame Pomfrey to let me keep them overnight, but she wouldn't hear of it! Did I mention they were HUGE?"

Ginny giggled uncontrollably. _He may be the evil Draco Malfoy, but he's still a sixteen year old boy!_

"Sshhh! Here we go!" Draco said suddenly, holding his finger up to his lips.

Draco withdrew his wand and whipped open the door to a nearby broom cupboard.

"I say, I'm afraid I'll have to interrupt. Five points from Hufflepuff, ten points from Ravenclaw. It's very rude making the girl do all the work like that! Bad form! Be on your way!" Draco was clearly enjoying this.

The startled couple gathered their clothes and ran without bothering to fully clothe themselves. Ginny didn't know what she was expecting to see, but it wasn't that.

"They weren't snogging! They were… they were… oh my!"

"I believe the word you're looking for is **shagging**," Draco said dryly, but he was obviously amused by Ginny's state.

"It was very rude of us to interrupt!"

Draco laughed heartily. "Yes, it was! That's what makes this fun!"

"I know them! I'll never be able to look them in the eye again!"

"Don't worry, they'll be busy avoiding you for quite a while too."

"Does that happen often?"

"You can get quite the sexual education on this job if you look hard enough. Just wait 'til we catch two blokes going at it! That'll teach you something your mother never meant you to know!" Draco cringed.

"Oh my!" Ginny eyes suddenly got very bright. "Let's find another one!"

"Weaslette, I knew you had potential!"

The rest of the evening flew by as they enthusiastically ferreted out snoggers and shaggers. (No pun intended.) Draco showed Ginny parts of the castle she never knew existed. Ginny never imagined Draco Malfoy could be this much fun; Ginny laughed and laughed. Occasionally Draco's cool exterior would fall and he'd laugh as well, but mostly he just calmly observed Ginny.

Before she realized the time, Ginny found herself back at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Oh, you didn't have to walk me all the way back. It's a long way to the dungeons."

Draco shrugged; he'd been quiet for a while now. He was looking at her with a softness in his eyes she hadn't seen before… she liked it.

"Look. It seems we missed a snogger or two," Ginny said, trying to sound authoritative as Harry snuck past them with a guilty grin. "Potter, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing," Harry said innocently. "Gin, I'm wide awake, you want to stay up with me for a while?"

"Sure, I'll be right in." When Ginny turned back to Draco the soft gaze had disappeared.

"Good night, Ginny," and without another word, Draco left.

"'Night Draco," Ginny said, puzzled by his sudden departure.

Ginny returned to the common room and Harry.

"Sit here, Gin," Harry said patting his lap.

Ginny settled herself comfortably in the chair with Harry, leaning against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder while nestling into his neck. She felt herself relax immediately; it was always such a relief to be next to Harry. Harry seemed to feel it too.

"I probably shouldn't; after what I've seen tonight, I don't know where this lap has been and I certainly don't know where these hands have been," Ginny said dryly.

"They haven't been anywhere you'd find remotely objectionable, I assure you," Harry chuckled. "Did Malfoy behave himself?"

"Oh, Harry! When he puts as much effort into being entertaining as he usually does into being mean, he's so funny! Extremely rude, but funny! You wouldn't believe the things he said to some of the kids we caught, and he kept getting worse and worse. I think he was testing me to see how far he could go before I didn't think it was funny anymore."

"He probably **was** testing you."

"Who were you with tonight Harry?"

"Nancy? Um… yeah Nancy."

Ginny swallowed a giggle. "What happened to Constance?"

"Nothing. We had a good time yesterday, and I'm seeing her again on Sunday," Harry said matter-of-factly.

Ginny looked at him suspiciously out of the corner of her eye. "I'm almost afraid to ask this… what about tomorrow night?"

"Tomorrow night is Lizzy, I'm quite sure it's Lizzy," Harry said trying to keep a straight face, but the naughty grin broke through anyway."

"Harry Potter!"

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Three girls in one week?"

"There are even more scheduled for next week," he said glibly.

"Harry!"

"What?"

"You're turning into the Man-Whore of Gryffindor!" Ginny laughed.

"Am not! I'm not debauching anyone, just getting to know them," Harry considered for a moment. "But you never know… do you think that title would suit me?"

"NO!" Ginny laughed harder.

"It's not funny! Girls seem to like a boy with a dissolute reputation… I may have to cultivate one."

Ginny desperately tried to stifle her laughter. "Okay Harry, you work on that."

They quietly stared into the fire together for a long while.

"Harry, you never told me about your meeting with Snape and Dumbledore, about why Voldemort isn't bothering your dreams anymore."

"Apparently my Occlumency skills have increased significantly, and Snape can't get into my mind anymore. That's a huge relief!"

"Did you practice this summer?" Ginny asked.

"No, not at all, it just happened. There's something else I haven't told you though. I accidentally read Ron's mind the night we before we left The Burrow."

"You're a Legilimens? Cool! What did you see?"

"Nothing I want to relive!" Harry grimaced. "Let's just say our assumptions that Ron has naughty thoughts about Hermione are on the mark."

"Uggggh… disgusting! So, what now? Are you supposed to take lessons or practice? Can you only read what the person is thinking at the time or can you rummage around in their head?" asked Ginny, the curiosity getting to her.

"I'm supposed to continue my lessons with Snape," Harry said grumpily. "And I don't know what I can do. It's only happened twice: Ron and then Snape briefly in Dumbledore's office… he just **loved** that!"

"This is so cool! Try it on me!" Ginny said enthusiastically.

"What? Ginny are you sure? It hurts when Voldemort goes rummaging around my head."

"Pleeeeeeze, but you'll stop if I tell you, right?"

"Of course."

"Let me think of something I want to show you…" Ginny giggled, "Okay, I've got it! This is something I saw tonight."

"Look at me Ginny." She looked Harry in the eyes, and suddenly an image, surrounded by a cloud of emotion flashed into Harry's mind. He immediately withdrew.

"Bloody Hell Ginny! Why'd you show me that?"

"I had to see it! No reason you shouldn't suffer too!" she laughed.

"You saw people shagging tonight?" Harry was aghast.

"More than a few! The student body here is much randier than I ever imagined! I'm rather glad Draco was with me, he handled the shaggers quite well; I was usually too shocked to say anything. What else did you see?"

"Well, just that one image was quite enough, but I felt something too. I don't know what it was, maybe how you were feeling at the time," Harry eyes brightened. "Maybe it was your feelings for Malfoy!"

"What did it feel like?" Ginny asked, not sure that she wanted to have this conversation with Harry, but too curious to stop.

"Don't know. I have nothing to compare it to. Think about someone else, think about Neville."

Ginny looked Harry in the eyes and thought about Neville.

"I can feel you in my head Harry. It feels lovely, doesn't hurt at all."

"Must have something to do with intent then," Harry said concentrating fiercely. "Think about Colin now…..and now Ron…..Oh wow, very strong. Very conflicted!" Harry chuckled.

"No kidding," Ginny said dryly.

"Think about Hermione… think about Dean… awe Ginny!"

"I know," she sighed.

"Think about Malfoy again." Harry thought twice about his next statement, but he had to know. "Think about me."

"NO! Harry, get out of my head now," Ginny broke eye contact and Harry withdrew.

"Why can't I see that, Gin?" Harry asked quietly.

"Because it's too confusing. I don't even understand it myself, I'm sorry. What did you learn?"

Harry sighed. "Well I can't rummage about, not yet anyway; I can only see what you're currently thinking."

"What did you see about Malfoy?"

"You like him. You're wary of him, which is good. You think he's more than a little bit sexy, which is sick."

Ginny giggled into Harry's neck.

"There's something else too," Harry continued.

"What?"

"You think you can save him. Very dangerous."

"Harry, I think there may be something there worth saving.

"Please be careful," Harry whispered desperately against her ear, as he held her close.

"He's just a boy Harry, like you, trying to find his place in the world. He's not evil, not yet."

"What about Dean?"

"Hmmm. When I thought about Dean, you didn't see much did you?"

"Not much at all," Harry chuckled.

"I thought so. I can't help it Harry, he's so sweet, I don't know why I don't feel more for him."

"I do," Harry sighed.

"Why then?" Ginny asked.

"He's too normal for you, you like the hard-luck cases; the poor little orphan boy who has a maniacal monster trying to kill him, or the poor little rich boy who has the maniacal father trying to warp him. Poor Dean's too dull for our Ginny."

"Harry!" Ginny giggled. "That's not nice! You make me sound like I have a complex or something."

"Maybe you do. You should get it looked at, maybe they can cure you now; save you a lot of misery in future." Harry's arms had instinctively tightened around her, so that when Ginny moved to hit him he was prepared and restrained her quickly. Harry retaliated with tickles until Ginny begged for mercy. When they had calmed down again Harry said, "I, for one, am grateful for your complex; don't know what I'd do without you."

They continued to talk and stare into the fire together late into the night.

"Gin, what did you do to Malfoy? He looks angry," Ron asked, as they were finishing breakfast the following morning. According to Parvati, Hermione was already in the library, and Harry was still asleep.

"What do you mean? I didn't do anything to him," Ginny shrugged.

"He hasn't stopped staring at you for the past half hour… it's creepy," Ron observed.

Ginny shrugged again.

"Hey guys," Harry said as he climbed onto the bench, sitting next to Ginny. He wrapped his arm around her and gave her a squeeze, while speaking softly in her ear.

"I'm sorry I skived our fly this morning; I had to sleep in, I was knackered. Someone kept me talking 'til all hours last night," Harry said in a mock accusing tone.

Ginny smiled at him affectionately. "That was nice; I've missed our talks the past few days. Are you two still up for coaching me this afternoon?"

Ron and Harry exchanged nods and agreed.

"Sure, after lunch? You don't really need it Ginny, besides the fact that you're really good, you have an inside track with the team's management," Harry teased.

Ginny elbowed Harry in the ribs. "I don't want any special favors, just the same shot as anyone else."

"Good. You won't get any special favors from me! If you're crap, I'll tell you," Ron growled.

Draco had been watching the Weaslette's back since he entered the Great Hall for breakfast; he was furious with himself! _Malfoys do not become besotted! Especially with Weasleys! This wasn't the plan. The plan was to spend time with her and get her to fall for me! Then I would have the upper hand to do as I chose._

His housemates had long since given up trying to draw Draco into a conversation, so they just left him alone with a roll of their eyes and a chuckle; it's not every day you see the great Malfoy fall… hard!

Draco watched as Potter sidled up to her, touched her and breathed all over her. _Where is that Mudblood boyfriend of hers anyway? Doesn't he know enough to keep an eye on her? The idiot deserves to lose her. Who am I kidding? She's Potter's girl, she's always been Potter's girl; it's obvious. _Draco resolved to forget about the Weaslette: years of tradition dictated that a Slytherin Malfoy and a Gryffindor Weasley shouldn't even be breathing the same air.

Draco's feet, however, didn't obey the new forget-about-Ginny resolution; as soon as Ginny was leaving the Great Hall Draco's feet were following her out. _Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn, Damn_.

"Weasley… Ginny," he called, suddenly at a loss as to what he wanted.

"Hi," she smiled at him questioningly.

"Um… I enjoyed myself last night, it was…interesting." _Why won't my brain work?_

"I had fun too; we'll do it again next Friday, of course," Ginny moved to leave.

"Wait! D'ya wanna go for a fly?"

"Draco, I have a boyfriend," Ginny reminded him.

"But you fly with Potter every morning; you say he's just a friend. You didn't fly today, so do you want to go now, with me?"

Ginny was shocked by the amount of information he had. "How? ... How..."

"Relax Weasley, I'm not stalking you!" Draco chuckled, the gears in his brain finally beginning to work again. "I'm an early riser too; I'm usually walking the grounds at that hour. It's a little hard to miss your garish hair flying about the sky. You can certainly fly."

"I hope you still admire my flying when I'm sending Quaffle after Quaffle through Slytherin goal posts in a few months. Yes Draco, I'll fly with you."

"Shall we get our brooms and meet at the main entrance?" Draco asked.

"Are you in a hurry?" Ginny asked.

"No."

"Have you ever seen the Gryffindor common room?" Ginny asked.

"No."

"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours," she said with a naughty twinkle in her eyes.

Draco valiantly swallowed the dozen or so comments he had ready to fly at that moment and said only, "Right then, dungeons first."

As expected, the Slytherin common room was very green and silver and serpentine.

"It's rather damp, isn't it?" Ginny said looking around with interest. The common room was deserted at the moment.

"It's good for the complexion," Draco said with a smirk.

"Where are we exactly?" Ginny asked.

"Under the lake. I'll just go get my broom," Draco moved to leave.

"You're not leaving me here alone!" Ginny followed him to the stairs. Draco chuckled and motioned her to lead the way up.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked.

"Most girls would think twice before accompanying me to my bedchamber," Draco said dryly.

"You do have quite the rakish reputation, but I can handle you. It's those stroppy cows that pass for girls in this house I want to avoid. Lead by your Pugfaced snogging buddy."

"My Pugfaced snogging buddy? Do you mean Parkinson?"

"Duh!"

"Don't call her Pugface. She's very sensitive about her nose. Actually, she's very pretty when she smiles."

"I've never seen her smile, but I've seen plenty of sneers! Oh, and don't call her 'Pugface'? Would you like the list of all the things she's called me over the years? Oh, I forgot ! You don't need that list because you're the one who made up most of them in the first place!"

"Yes, but we've grown beyond that stage haven't we?" he said calmly, as they arrived at the sixth year boy's dorm and he opened the door.

"Fine! But I'll still call her Pugface if she deserves it!"

"Fair enough. What did you mean snogging buddy?" he asked.

"That was quite a greeting she gave you at the train station."

"Jealous?" he smirked.

"No," she said crisply.

"I started kissing her when I was eight; it would seem strange to stop now," Draco shrugged.

Ginny looked around the dorm and laughed; if she replaced all the Slytherin green with Gryffindor red it would be Ron and Harry's dorm room.

"This is exactly like Gryffindor's sixth year boys dorm. Which one's yours?" Draco pointed to the bed farthest from the door. "You and Harry sleep in the same bed," she said grinning and waggling her eyebrows.

Draco grimaced and once again bit back his comments.

Ginny giggled. "You're going to give yourself an aneurism if you keep bottling-up your snarky comments like that!"

"I'm trying to be good. I'm trying to not offend," he said carefully.

"I appreciate that, but I want you to be yourself. Just try to find the line between sarcasm and hatefulness. As long as you're trying, I'll let you know when you step over."

A wide, wide grin spread over Draco's face. "Well if that's the case, I want to go back to the 'I'll show you mine, if you show me yours' comment! I had some great ones…."

"No, no, no, too late, you passed on it. Better luck next time! You're very neat, and you have more beauty supplies than a high-maintenance girl!"

Ginny had walked over to his chest of drawers and was looking at the collection of bottles and tins lined up neatly on top of it. She remembered her promise to Hermione to find out what made him smell so good. She began lifting the lids on the containers and sniffing each of the bottles, being very careful to put them back where she found them; he seemed like the type who liked everything just so.

"Cleanliness is a virtue, and they're grooming aids, not beauty supplies." Draco leaned against the chest of drawers and watched her rummage through his things; he hated it when people touched his belongings. The fact that he was amused by Ginny's doing it was further proof to him that he was besotted. He was in trouble.

"Why do you smell everything, Weasley?"

Ginny looked at him warily. "I'm trying to figure out how you smell so good."

He grinned smugly. "Think I smell good do you?"

Ginny glared at him. He reached for one of the bottles and handed it to her.

"It's my shaving potion."

"You shave?" she smelled the bottle.

"Occasionally."

"It doesn't smell like anything."

Draco took the bottle away from her and applied the potion to his face. Ginny watched the blonde, barely noticeable stubble on his chin disappear.

"It has to react with my skin first. Custom blended for me by the apothecary in Diagon Alley." He bent close to Ginny so she could smell him.

Ginny felt lightheaded as the heavenly scent filled her head and made her mouth go dry. "Yeah, that's it," she said quietly. He looked at her intently with an undefineable expression, and then resumed his normal manner.

"Ginny, are we ever going to fly? Or would you rather spend the day in my bedchamber?" Draco said looking at her intensely and giving her his most sinister Malfoy smirk. Only a few days ago that smirk would have enraged her. Now Ginny found it… charming. _Oh dear!_

"Let's fly," she said quickly.

"Thought so," he chuckled.

His attention diverted suddenly to his bed and he withdrew his wand. He swiftly pulled up his pillow and a huge python slithered out from under it. Draco shook his head somewhat amused, quickly vanished it, and remade his bed neatly.

"Astrid," he chuckled as he led Ginny from the dormitory.

The Slytherin common room was no longer deserted when they returned to it; it went deadly silent upon they're arrival. All eyes were on Ginny.

Ginny noticed that Draco tensed and his jaw locked at the site of Pansy sitting on Blaise Zabini's lap. It looked as though they'd been recently snogging.

"Are you insane Malfoy?" Zabini scoffed. "I'm really beginning to think you have a death wish. Who's going to kill you first? The Dark Lord, your father or her rabid brothers. How many are there? A dozen?"

Ginny grinned. "Only six, but it seems like more." A black cat had come over and was rubbing itself along Draco's leg. He picked it up and showed it to Ginny, smirking.

"Ginny, I'd like to introduce you to Mudblood; Mudblood this is Ginny." Both Ginny and Draco were snickering.

"Hello Mudblood, aren't you a sweetie?" Ginny said scratching the cat's ears, all the Slytherins in the common room were snickering now.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked Draco.

"I suspect they think it's amusing to hear the Gryffindor princess use the 'M' word." Draco chuckled and dropped the cat.

"It's only a word… it's the intent that causes harm."

As Draco led Ginny out of the common room, they encountered Astrid. Her eyes flashed excitedly on Draco, then darkened and glowered at Ginny. Ginny could have sworn she saw jealousy in the tiny girl's eyes; Ginny swallowed a snicker.

"Hello, Astrid. This is Ginny," Draco said. Astrid just sneered at Ginny and continued into the common room.

"Did you teach her that sneer?" Ginny laughed.

"No. She came fully equipped. It's a good one isn't it?" he said with admiration.

They proceeded to the Gryffindor common room and Draco surveyed it with interest, glaring at the table of younger students until they stopped staring at him and went back to their studies.

"I'm afraid you can't come up with me, there's a…" Ginny started.

"I know how it works Weaslette. I'll wait here," Draco said as he ensconced himself comfortably in a chair by the fire, the chair commonly referred to as 'Harry's chair.' He looked like he owned the place.

"Oh dear, I'll hurry," Ginny ran up the stairs to fetch her broom, but she wasn't quick enough.

As she hurried back down the steps, broom under her arm, Ginny heard Ron bellow from the common room, "Am I having a Bloody nightmare?"

"Just came to see how the other half lives, Weasley," Draco drawled coolly, making himself even more comfortable by putting his feet on the table and crossing them elegantly.

"You're in my chair!" shrieked Harry in horrified disgust.

"Come on Draco, let's go. Now!" Ginny said as she pulled him out of Harry's chair and began dragging him towards the portrait hole.

Ron suddenly brightened. "How 'bout a game of chess as long as you're here?"

"RON!" Harry shrieked.

"Sorry, dance card's full this morning," Draco drawled as he allowed Ginny to push him out through the portrait hole.

Dean had come down the dormitory stairs, just as they were leaving and had witnessed the end of the exchange.

"Um… was that my girlfriend going on a date with Malfoy?"

Ron and Harry shrugged and pleaded ignorance.

As soon as Ginny got Draco through the portrait hole she fell against him bursting with laughter.

"Did you see the look on Harry's face when he found you in his chair? I'm not going to hear the end of that any time soon!"

"I'm glad I amuse you."

They soon found themselves outside on the great lawn and were preparing to fly.

"Bloody Hell! That's a Nimbus 5000! Where'd a Weasley get a broom like that?" Draco said much too harshly.

Ginny tried to glare at him, but she couldn't mask the hurt in her eyes. "I think you may have found the line there, Malfoy," Ginny burst into the sky.

"FUCK!" Draco shot up after her.

Draco shadowed Ginny in the sky, but didn't try to interrupt her; he recognized all the signs of flying off in a rage. He could wait.

When it seemed as though she had worked through the worst of it he motioned to her to follow him and he was relived when she did. He led her to the top of an abandoned turret of the castle; this was where Draco went when he needed to think and be alone. Although her face was still a bit red, she'd calmed down a good bit.

"I'm sorry. Can we chalk it up to habit?" he said honestly.

"This might be more difficult than I thought," Ginny said quietly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean in the past you've called me 'filth' and 'dirty' and a dozen other hateful things, far worse then what you just said, and I barely noticed. But if you become someone I like, someone whose opinions I care about, that's giving you power. I can't do that, I don't trust you Draco."

"Oh."

"I need to know your motivations. Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Making an effort to be civil to me. I don't know why. You could be trying to piss off Harry and Ron. You may want another notch on your bedpost. You may think I can provide you with information useful to Voldemort. You may just want to make a fool of me for fun. Like I said, I don't know."

Draco's face was unreadable, he didn't seem surprised by Ginny's words or hurt at all; he just pondered for a moment.

He gently took Ginny by the elbow and led her to a stone bench on the edge of the turret landing. He motioned for her to sit and then he joined her.

"As I mentioned in Grimmauld Place, I think we can answer some questions for one another; perhaps now would be a good time to begin?" He looked at Ginny questioningly and she nodded. "You shouldn't trust me… I've not given you any reason to trust me. But I can address some of your concerns; you can choose to believe me, or not. I first showed interest in you in Grimmauld Place to annoy Potter and your brother, that I admit. Something's changed and now it's merely a perk, although it doesn't seem to annoy your brother nearly as much as I'd like."

"He's in denial. Once light dawns, you'll hear the explosion," Ginny snickered.

"One can only hope," Draco sighed heavily. "You mayn't have noticed this Weaslette, but I'm not a people person."

Ginny snorted involuntarily and Draco smirked in spite of himself.

"I can barely abide most people; I can count on one hand those that I truly like. I like you… even without romantic entanglement, I like you."

"A poor, garish haired Weasley?"

"Imagine my surprise." The soft look that Ginny had enjoyed the previous evening had returned to Draco's face. "As for my wanting another notch on my bedpost," he chuckled, "my bedpost is surprisingly smooth. It's all crap you know."

"What?"

"My reputation, it's mostly not true," he shrugged.

"How'd you get it then?"

"Parkinson, Millie and the other stroppy cows as you call them. They spread rumors; they think it's funny if they can get a girl I've never laid eyes on to slap me. I think it's quite funny too, actually."

"Slytherins have a strange sense of fun it seems," Ginny said dryly.

"You've no idea." He paused for a moment, looking at Ginny. "I've been accused of being far too particular about the female company I keep."

"A poor, garish haired Weasley?" Ginny repeated.

"Imagine my surprise," he repeated with a smirk.

"What's going on with you and Pansy?"

"We're ju…"

"I saw how you reacted to seeing her with Blaise Zabini in the Common room… you're more than just friends."

"What's going on with you and Potter? I don't care who you say your boyfriend is. There's something there, something big."

Ginny puffed. "It's complicated."

"I'll make you a deal, when you spill about Potter, I'll tell you about Parkinson."

"I don't want to know that badly. Why do you call her Parkinson anyway?"

"She's not a Pansy," he said dryly. "Regarding your last concern, about my spying for the Dark Lord, I recommend you not tell me anything he may find helpful. I certainly won't be fishing for information, but I have limited control over what my future holds."

"You think you're destined to become a Death Eater, don't you?"

"I think I have limited control over what my future holds. Let me ask you something: If I did take the Dark Mark, this friendship would evaporate, wouldn't it?"

"It would have to. I couldn't watch someone I care about destroy themselves like that."

"But as your brother said, if Potter took the Dark Mark, you'd stand by him."

"That's not going to happen and you know it, but if for some reason Harry took the Dark Mark he would have his reasons and I wouldn't abandon him."

"Who's to say I wouldn't have my reasons as well?"

"I can imagine Harry's reason's, I know him well enough. I guess I don't know you well enough… we're back to trust. What would your reasons be Draco? "

Draco was silent for a long time; Ginny knew her answer wouldn't come today.

"Where'd you get the broom?" he finally asked.

"Harry. Birthday present from Harry."

"Just friends?"

"It's complicated."

"Everything's complicated now. It used to be so simple. There used to be a correct answer for everything, my father's answer. Then I realized I'm not my father, and I don't want to be. I don't know what I believe anymore; don't get me wrong, you and I will never agree on certain subjects."

"That's part of the fun, I think," Ginny said; she desperately wanted to touch him, to comfort him, but something told her he wasn't the kind of boy one comforted. At least not by her. Yet.

"I spent the first part of summer plotting ways to kill Potter, blaming him for my father being in prison. There were quite a few rows at Grimmauld Place when my mother first moved us there. You can't tell by looking at her, but my mother can be quite scary when she wants to be, even without the hag Glamour Charm in place."

Ginny giggled. "I can imagine."

"She did her best to convince me my father is where he belongs; I have trouble believing it."

"Your father **is** where he belongs Draco."

"You think he's a monster, don't you?"

"Yes."

Draco shrugged. "To me, he's just my father. Not a warm and fuzzy kind of father certainly, but still the person who taught me to ride a broom."

"Draco, how 'bout we get back to the broomriding?"

"Alright," he smirked "had enough drama, have you Weaslette? I thought you Gryffs lived for this soul bearing shit."

"Not on beautiful days, when I could be whipping your arse in a race around the castle."

Draco was on his feet and in the air before Ginny realized what happened.

"Sneaky Slytherin cheat!" she yelled after him as she took to the air. Draco merely cackled over his shoulder as he gained speed.

An hour later, at lunchtime, Ginny and Draco burst into the Great Hall together, laughing. Ginny's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glowing as she took her seat among her friends. It took Ginny several moments to realize that no one at the table was talking. Ron looked stunned, Harry kept his eyes locked on his food, and Hermione, who wore a very odd expression, kept giving her looks filled with trepidation.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked Hermione quietly. Hermione nudged her head to the right, Ginny's eyes followed, and that's when she noticed Dean. Dean was glaring at her, absolutely livid.

"Hi, Dean." Ginny smiled at him questioningly.

"Hi, Dean? Hi, Dean? That's all you have to say?"

"What did you want me to say?" Ginny wasn't naïve, she knew what was coming. She knew it probably wasn't the best idea to fly with Malfoy, and like Draco said, she flew with Harry every morning as friends. Why couldn't she fly with Draco? There's nothing like a good rationalization.

"I want you to explain why my girlfriend is going on dates with other blokes!" Dean exploded.

"It wasn't a date! It was a spur of the moment something to do. We just flew, and talked. I am allowed to talk to other boys, Dean."

"Not alone! Not when that boy is actively pursuing you! Bollocks! I can't talk about this now!"

"Fine!" Ginny huffed, as Dean stomped out of the Great Hall, "Hey Ron, pass the potatoes, will ya?"

**Authors Note:**

Ginny probably could have handled that better. But I never said she was perfect, just interesting.

Thanks again Jocjarmom for the Beta and tips. Don't forget to checkout BFR, y'all.


	9. Chapter Eight: Nothing Says:

**Authors Note:** Alright already! The naggers have taken to Emailing me at home! Which I love, by the way, it's been fun getting to know some of you. But I figure I'd better post something before someone show's up at my door! I wanted this chapter to go on for a few thousand more words, but it's very slow going, and I found a good place to stop. So the next chapter will either be painfully long or I'll have to push off 'that thing' that I've promised a few of you to the following chapter. Ah well…anticipation is a good thing. Right?

The Devils Triangle

Chapter 8: Nothing Says: "I might like you…maybe", like a Dungbomb between the eyes!

Ginny found herself hidden at a table in the furthest corner of the library, willing away tears. She hadn't hidden away in this spot for years; not since she needed to avoid the stares and whispers that followed her after her first year.

After the scene in the Great Hall with Dean, there was another huge blowout with him in the Gryffindor common room; she pretended that they didn't affect her, but they did. Ginny was the type of person who liked to be liked, and it tortured her when someone was displeased with her, especially when they had a right to be. Dean was furious with her, for good reason. She wasn't upset enough to admit she was wrong and apologize, just enough to send her into a black mood and make her hide in the library.

"Hey, Ginny."

"Neville. Hi. How'd you find me here?"

"Just a hunch, we used to spend a lot of time back here, you and I."

"Yeah. We did."

"I saw what happened with Dean; I thought you might like to talk to someone. Someone who wasn't madly in love with you," he added chuckling.

"Shut it, Longbottom!"

"You're very popular this term!"

"Does the term bat-bogey mean anything to you Neville?"

"Ok. Ok. I'm sorry, couldn't resist."

"How are your parents?" Ginny asked, trying to change the subject.

Neville shrugged, "The same. I've been talking to several Medi-wizards, I always thought that their case was hopeless, but the truth is there are no treatments for people in their condition because no one's ever bothered to do the research to find the cures. I mean, just in the Herbology world alone, there are dozens of magical plants that have restorative and healing properties for the memory. Madame Pomfrey is helping me catalog them, and I'm going to begin some research of my own."

"Neville, that's wonderful! I'll want to help you with that."

"Have you given it any more thought, being a healer?" Neville asked. "Wouldn't it be great if we did it together?"

"Yeah, I haven't told anyone but you, but I want to be a healer."

"Ginny that's brilliant! You should tell Madame Pomfrey. She's letting me help her in the hospital wing in my share time, brewing potions and the like."

"You're brewing potions?" Ginny laughed.

"Hey! I'm not so bad when Snape's not breathing down my neck!"

"Actually, Harry said you're brilliant in all your classes this term, since you got your new wand."

"Really? Harry said that?"

"Yup."

"Actually, Harry's been quite brilliant, as well; he seems to know all the answers without even trying. You should see him in potions, Harry and Malfoy, always finish before Hermione and Ron, and it sends Hermione into quite the state."

"Harry mentioned that classes were easier, somehow. But wait, did you say Harry and Draco were partnered in Potions?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"Didn't you know?"

"No. Neither of them has mentioned that little tidbit. What's that like?" Ginny asked grinning.

"Oh, it's funny! They work really well together, but they're either completely silent, or they're bickering like an old married couple! Worse than Ron and Hermione!"

"Really?" Ginny giggled, and then paused, "How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Make me feel better so quickly."

"Years of practice, with the moody Ginny Weasley," Neville sighed. "You know what I wish?"

"What?"

"I wish you'd find a bloke who made you happy."

"Happy? I'm happy, aren't I?"

"You're cheerful and good natured; I think you could be happier."

Ginny pondered the word; she'd never considered it in reference to a boy before. "Happy. Would I recognize happy?"

"I hope so, Ginny. You deserve it."

"Thanks, Neville. I don't think I've met that bloke yet."

"The way Ron talks, it seems you and Harry found something in each other this summer. Is he someone you can finally tell your secrets too?"

"Yes, but with Harry, when you finally purge a secret, it just gets replaced by a larger, more terrifying secret. I have a feeling the same is true of Draco."

"Ginny, what's wrong with us nice, normal blokes? Like Dean?"

"I don't know. Neville, I promise you, if I ever stumble across a bloke who makes me happy, I'll grab onto him and not let go; as long as he's crazy enough to want me, of course."

Several hours later Ginny and Neville were leaving the library. Ginny had actually gotten a fair amount of homework completed once Neville had managed to calm her.

"Ginny!" a voice called from behind them. Ginny grabbed Neville's hand to keep him by her side, and she turned to meet Draco.

"Hi, Draco, we have to go, we were just heading to dinner," she said and began to turn away.

"Wait. Did I get you in trouble?" Draco shot Neville a Malfoy glare that clearly stated 'Bugger off!' Neville stood his ground beside Ginny, giving Draco a broad smile that dared him to say anything nasty in front of her. Draco quickly gave up on Neville and refocused his attention on Ginny.

"Everything's fine Draco, I'll see you on Friday for rounds."

"Can't we talk? Tomorrow night?"

"No. I'm sorry I can't. I have a date tomorrow night; at least I did have a date. I can't see you until Friday. Please, Draco, leave me alone until then." Ginny turned and left quickly, dragging Neville along with her.

Draco watched Ginny scamper away from him with a satisfied smirk on his lips. Everything was going according to plan; the Mudblood boyfriend would soon be history. He furrowed his brow slightly at her holding hands with Neville. _How many admirers does this girl have? Still, it wouldn't be fun if it weren't a challenge._

Draco tried to concentrate on the game of pursuing Ginny; that's what a proper Slytherin would do. He tried not to think about how his insides melted when she looked at him with those chocolate eyes. He tried not to think about how she made him want to tell every secret he ever kept bottled-up inside. He tried not to think about how those soft, full lips would feel against his and about how her soft curves would feel… _Oh bloody hell! I can't wait till Friday!_

That's how on Sunday evening Draco found himself in the Gryffindor common room, engrossed in an extremely close and extremely interesting chess match with the Weasel. Draco had approached Ron the previous evening and had suggested the rematch, to take place after curfew Sunday evening. Ron thought it odd to break curfew for a game or two of chess, but he didn't want to delve too deeply into the psyche of the Slytherin, so he accepted readily.

Draco rather liked the Gryffs common room, mostly because girls, who'd never looked twice at him before- except to glare, were now eyeing him up and down. There was currently a group of girls, giggling in the corner, sending amiable looks in his direction. It seemed being friendly with the Weasel had benefits.

"Did you see the Quidditch schedule? First game's Gryffindor/Slytherin in early November," Draco said, trying to make conversation with the last person in the world he wanted to talk to. They were well into their third game, and they had each won one.

"Yeah. You captain?"

"Yeah. Where are all your little friends?" Draco asked.

"Harry's with one of his girls somewhere, Ginny's off with Dean somewhere, and Hermione's in the library."

"Granger can't be in the library, it closed two hours ago! You sure she isn't mucking about with Headboy-git Marshall?"

Ron's attention snapped out of the game. "Why do you say that?"

"Haven't you noticed them spending a lot of time with their heads together? It can't be all prefect business." Draco had no idea what he was talking about; call it a diversionary tactic.

Ron growled, but didn't rise to the bait. "For your information, Harry got Hermione an unrestricted pass to the Restricted Section of the library, and being Hermione, she has persuaded Madame Pince that that includes after-hours access. I assure you, she's in the library." Ron tried, but he didn't sound entirely sure.

"As long as you're convinced; not like I care," Draco said smoothly, with a Slytherin smirk.

Relief spread over Ron's face as Hermione entered the common room and plunked a heavy pile of books down on the table near Ron.

"Hey, Ron. Hey, Harr…What are you doing here?" Hermione grimaced as she realized that it wasn't Harry playing chess with Ron.

Draco sneered at her, but said nothing. He wasn't going to stoop to becoming friendly with Granger; no girl was worth that.

"Hey, Hermione. See how desperate I've become for company?" Ron said with an exaggerated pout. "You and Harry never have time for me anymore."

Hermione laughed at him. "Poor baby, I remember inviting you to the library."

Ron grimaced. "I prefer the Ferret, thanks. What did you find?"

Hermione eyed Draco suspiciously, "Let's just say, I've decided to take another tack. Have you ever heard of a witch called Carina de Florette?"

"No. Is she in the Ministry?"

"No. She died hundreds of years ago."

Draco had tilted his head to read the spines of Hermione's pile of books, but still said nothing.

"Ferret, you're in my chair again!" Harry said grumpily as he joined the group and threw himself onto a sofa.

"There's no plaque with your name on it, Scarhead," Draco drawled with a self satisfied smirk. Ron and Draco exchanged amused looks as they surveyed Harry. His hair was an even more atrocious mess than usual, and his lips were red and swollen; he looked, well snogged!

"Who was it tonight, Harry?" Ron chuckled.

"Constance. Second date. Much better than first," Harry said grinning.

"Honestly!" Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Shouldn't your sister be back by now, Weasley? Do you just let her roam about the castle at this hour?"

"Ahh! The real reason for his interest in my company finally surfaces! She'll be along. You should be grateful that I've been persuaded to stay out of her love life this term, or you'd be at the bottom of the lake already."

"One of us would be, anyway. Check," Draco smirked, as Ron cursed and returned his attention to the board.

Ginny and Dean finally entered the common room hand-in-hand, but Draco was pleased to note that she showed no obvious signs of a thorough snogging. Ginny spotted Draco before Dean, and she was able to divert Dean's attention long enough to get him up the stairs to the boys dormitory. Before she followed Dean up the stairs, she gave Draco a withering glare!

"Ouch!" Ron chuckled. "I don't think your little plan's working Malfoy. That glare is usually followed by a bat-bogey."

"We can only hope!" Harry chimed.

"She just went to the boy's dormitory! Aren't you going to do anything?" Draco hissed.

"Why don't you head up there and break it up?" Ron nodded encouragingly. "Go ahead!"

Draco glared at him. This may not have been the brightest idea, but he wasn't that stupid. "Checkmate," he said as he moved his last chessman, and then Ginny flew down the dormitory steps in a dark rage.

"Damn it, Malfoy! What are you doing here? I told you to stay away from me!"

"I'm playing chess with your brother," Draco replied, as innocently as a Slytherin could.

"Like hell! Come with me." Ginny grabbed Draco's ear and tugged him towards a secluded corner of the common room.

Harry winced slightly as he watched Draco get dragged away. "It hurts when she does that," he observed nonchalantly.

"See that!" Ron said smugly, "She hates him! I was right! She'll tell him to bugger off now and the nightmare will be over!"

"Bloody hell woman! Let me go! I will not be man-handled! I'm a Malfoy!"

Draco was incensed, he pried Ginny's hands from his ear and held them captive at her sides as he pressed her against the wall in the dark corner into which she had dragged him. His anger immediately dissipated when he realized how close he was to her, and he felt the effects of that proximity on every inch of his body. He released her hands, but remained in place.

"Why didn't you stay away, like I asked you?" Ginny whispered pleadingly.

"I just want to see you, to talk."

"You don't understand! Dean wants me to give up Friday rounds with you, and Ron has already volunteered to switch his Wednesdays. Is that what you want?"

"No, but it doesn't really matter," Draco shrugged.

"Doesn't matter?" Ginny said dejectedly.

"No," a sly grin spread over Draco's face, "Parkinson has Wednesday rounds with your brother. I'd make her switch with me; she'd make me pay, but she'd do it. I'm not that easy to be rid of."

"Oh." A wide grin spread involuntarily over Ginny's face.

"Ginny, do you really like this bloke?"

"Of course I do! He doesn't deserve to be hurt. Please, Draco, just stay away from me, let me sort this out on my own."

Draco's warm gaze turned cold, his eyes darkened, his jaw tensed and his body stiffened. This response was more a result of years of practice, than any actual sentiment.

"Fine," he said, "I'll leave you be." Draco turned away and swiftly moved to exit the common room. He didn't glance at the trio as he passed by them.

"Malfoy," Ron called, "same time next week?" Draco paused briefly and nodded, his face, a mask of indifference.

"Ron!" Harry and Hermione both chided him after Draco had left the room.

"What? He just beat me two out of three! I have to defend my honor! Gryffindor honor!"

"Chess Slut!" Harry hissed, making Hermione giggle. "You alright Gin?" Harry asked as Ginny wandered toward them, looking sad and lost.

"I'm fine. I'm going to bed. 'Night."

"It's better that you told him to bugger off now, Gin. He'd only keep causing trouble for you, if you hadn't," Ron said, trying to be helpful.

Ginny merely shot Ron a half-hearted glare and disappeared up the dormitory steps without another word.

"Should I go up and talk to her?" Hermione was addressing the question to Harry, not Ron.

"No, leave her alone for tonight," Harry said with a sigh. "Hermione, tell me about your research. Do you have any ideas?"

"Oh! Yeah!" Ron agreed. "What about this witch…Carmela…"

"Carina de Florette," Hermione finished. "Well, I've thought about it, there's no use fighting Voldemort with Dark Magic; he's too powerful. Voldemort was defeated, when Harry was a baby, by magic based in love. Voldemort doesn't understand love, so he can't fight it."

"We're gonna kill Voldemort with LOVE?" Ron laughed. "We're gonna to love him to death? I really don't want to know the logistics of this plan!"

"Ron, just listen," Hermione huffed, and then she glared at Harry who was muffling his giggles.

"I'm NOT shagging Voldemort! Not even for Harry! I just want to make that clear upfront!" Ron continued, successfully sending Harry over the edge into hysterical laughter.

"AND, I might add, you're not shagging him either!" Ron continued, pointing to Hermione. "Harry, can shag whomever he likes, if he thinks it'll help!"

"Anyone, I like?" Harry asked, still laughing, waggling his eyebrows, and making it clear that he was having extremely naughty thoughts about Ron's baby sister.

Ron growled in disgust. "Cue up, Potter!"

"I already have, Weasley. I already have."

"Honestly, you two! Do you want to hear this or not?" Hermione admonished, but her lips were twitching.

"Sorry, Hermione. Please continue." Harry managed to get himself back under control.

"Well, I'm trying to find information on Carina de Florette, she lived eight hundred years ago. All of my research indicates that she was able to harness the power of love in magical spells, but I've been unable to find any detailed descriptions of her work. I need to read these books to see if they have more any information."

"Why don't you give me a few of them Hermione, I'll skim through them and mark the pages that refer to her," Harry grinned at Hermione's shocked expression. "What? It's my ass you're trying to save, the least I can do is a little reading! Besides, it's really easy for me these days. I hardly need to study any more; I memorize books as soon I read them. Hey! What do you think is causing that, Hermione?"

"I don't know, but I'm really beginning to hate you for it." Hermione grinned at him. "I've been thinking about that, too. I'll let you know when I come up with something."

"Come on, Harry," Ron said, resetting the chess board, "let's have a game of chess. I need an ego boast after the pummeling the Ferret gave me."

The following morning Draco seemed to be good to his word, he not only left Ginny alone, he completely ignored her. He sat with his back to the Gryffindor table, this was a first; Ginny had only ever seen him sit with his back to the wall, as any good Slytherin concerned with self-preservation would. Ginny sat facing the Slytherin table, just for a change of scenery, no other reason, really…no really. Draco and Pansy were sitting together, whispering to one another, Draco seemed completely engrossed in her. Ginny noticed that they seemed to have some sort of secret language; they sat very close together and would nudge other another with an elbow or a leg to draw the others attention to something or someone around them, then they would both dissolve into snickers or whispers. Draco ignored the dark glares that Blaise Zabini sent from across the table. Ginny was sure that they were busy making fun of their housemates. Draco quite often wrapped his arm around her and gave her a gentle squeeze while he whispered to her. Ginny tried to remind herself that that was probably what she and Harry looked like to an outsider. Somehow the thought that Draco had a relationship, similar to the one that Ginny had with Harry did nothing to comfort her, actually, the realization alarmed her quite a bit.

Ginny noticed Lavender Brown, Sarah Albright and several other Gryffindor girls eying Draco as well.

"You know, I never noticed how dishy he was until he turned up in our common room last night. He's quite nice looking when he's not scowling and hurling insults."

"Ginny, are Malfoy and Pansy dating?"

"No, they're just friends," Ginny growled, "Pansy's dating Zabini."

"Hmm, I'll have to stop by and chat with him next time he turns up to play chess with Ron," Lavender giggled. Ginny rolled her eyes and said nothing.

"Hang on," said Dean, who was sitting next to Ginny, "Malfoy was in our common room last night?" He addressed the question to Ginny, even though Ron was sitting directly across from him.

Ginny glared at him, not appreciating his accusing tone. "He was Ron's guest, they played chess; I was with you for most of the evening, if you'll recall," she said, not bothering to hide her pissy attitude.

"But he was there when we returned? You saw him when we entered?"

"Yes," Ginny shrugged.

"So, that explains why you dragged me directly upstairs, and the dumped me in my room without so much a peck on the cheek? You went back to the common room to see him, didn't you?"

"We spoke very briefly. It's not my fault he was there Dean!"

"No, nothing ever is your fault, is it?"

Ginny didn't have the energy to get into another row with Dean at the moment; she'd rather wait for privacy to curse him into next week. She bit her tongue and remained silent.

Ginny didn't have to wait long for a distraction. A loud wave of shrieks and catcalls rose from the Slytherin table and quickly spread throughout the hall. Ginny looked up from her breakfast to be rewarded with a stellar view of Draco's bare bum! His very fine bare bum! It seemed that when Draco stood to leave, someone had performed an invisibility charm on the back of his robes. Ginny looked around and saw Astrid calmly eating her breakfast, as though nothing was going on around her. Draco had no idea what caused the commotion following him down the aisle of the Great Hall. He kept turning around to see if someone was behind him, but this just allowed more of the Great Hall to get a peek, and caused more taunting. Pansy finally recovered, from her laugher, enough to smack Goyle upside the head, and tell him to go help Draco. Goyle then swiftly ushered Malfoy out of the Great Hall, while whispering in his ear. Meanwhile, Crabbe grabbed Astrid and dragged her out after them. Astrid was kicking and screaming bloody murder, Ginny laughed when Crabbe nearly lost an eye trying to contain the little beast.

"Ginny! You think it's funny? Just last week you were all worried for the poor thing?" Hermione asked in shock. "Don't you think they'll hurt her?"

"Let's just say, I've gotten some back-story on the situation, and anything she gets, she'll deserve," Ginny giggled.

"Draco will kill her!" Hermione exclaimed.

"No, he won't, he likes her. He thinks she's ripping."

"But she's Muggleborn."

"People can change Hermione, they can grow. Maybe if you hexed him more often, he'd like you too!" Ginny laughed at the look of complete befuddlement on Hermione's face as she tried to make sense of the situation before her.

"Hang on, Gin," Harry joined in, "are you saying that that little girl hexed Malfoy?"

Ginny nodded, "Chances are good, yeah."

"Excellent!" Harry grinned.

"I like that little girl!" Ron agreed.

The remainder of the week dragged slowly for Ginny. Draco never so much as glanced in her direction. Ginny, however, kept a close eye on him. Things in Slytherin house seemed to be returning to normal for Draco. After 'the bum' incident Crabbe and Goyle, returned to their usual positions at his flank, except at mealtimes when Draco was flanked by Pansy and Astrid. Ginny suspected that Draco kept Astrid close to keep an eye on her.

He scowled at her often and grabbed her if she so much as twitched her wand hand. For Astrid's part, Ginny thought she looked extremely pleased with herself; having earned herself a seat beside the Prince of Slytherin.

"Poor Draco,' Ginny chuckled to herself, "he has no idea what's going on there."

On Friday morning Ginny snuck into the sixth year boy's dorm at dawn. She was looking for Harry, before their morning fly.

"Blimey, Ginny! I'm not dressed!" Harry shrieked in whisper, as he pulled on his pants. His dorm mates were all still asleep.

"Ooooo," she squeaked, "I'm having a good week! I'm getting to see everyone's bum." Harry pulled on his trousers and jumper, taking note that Ginny never bothered to look away as he dressed. He suppressed the tingle traveling down his spine.

"Stop looking at me like that, you witch! You have enough boy trouble!"

"Oh please! I lost count of how many times I caught you eyeing me in my swim suit this summer."

"Me? Never! Are you a girl? Humf…never noticed that! WHY are you here?"

"I need some Dungbombs."

Harry finished dressing, grabbed his broom and a bag of Dungbombs from his trunk and escorted Ginny out of the dormitory.

"Ok, why do you need the Dungbombs?" he asked once they were in the common room.

"I broke-up with Dean last night," Ginny blurted out.

"I'm sorry," Harry said insincerely. "WHY do you need the Dungbombs?"

"I think I hurt Draco's feelings when I told him to stay away from me."

Harry rolled his eyes. "It's impossible to hurt Malfoy's feelings; he hasn't any. WHY do you NEED the DUNGBOMBS?"

"Draco always goes for a walk at dawn. I've spotted him a couple of times?"

"ANSWER the question, Ginny! WHY do you need the Dungbombs?"

"I did answer the question!"

Harry furrowed his brow, and tried to piece together the information she'd given him.

"You broke-up with Dean, and you think you hurt Malfoy's feelings, so you're going to throw Dungbombs at him?"

"Exactly! Here take some!"

"I don't want any! If I throw a Dungbomb at Malfoy, he'll take it as an act of war! If you do it, he'll think it's cute."

Ginny giggled. "It's good to be a girl," she said, slipping a few into Harry's pockets anyway.

It didn't take long to spot Draco's bright blond head, walking by the lake.

While Ginny sped off to pester Malfoy, Harry pondered his position. He felt a pang of regret that Ginny broke-up with Dean, and her first thought immediately went to Malfoy. Harry realized that Ginny would never allow herself to consider him in that way; not unless he made the first move. Harry wouldn't make the first move until he was sure of what that move meant. He was tempted, but he could wait. He just hoped that she got this fascination with Malfoy out of her system quickly.

Harry watched from a safe distance as Ginny buzzed Malfoy's head and chucked several Dungbombs at him. None of them hit him directly, just whizzed by his head, barely grazing him.

That's when Malfoy made his fatal mistake.

"Is that the best Gryffindor's new Chaser can do?" he shouted in his most caustic, taunting tone, but he was grinning. "I guess the rumors are wrong! You're pathetic!" he shouted as he side stepped one aimed at his shoulder. "Probably only made the team because your brother's the Captain. Trust a Weasley to abuse his position of power to promote undeserving family!"

"Wrong answer, Malfoy," called Harry laughing as he watched the next three Dungbombs hit Draco square in the face.

Draco quickly drew his wand and was able to slow the path of subsequent bombs and catch them before impact. Instead of throwing the bombs back at Ginny, Draco attacked Harry.

"Hey! I didn't do anything!" he yelled reaching into his robe for ammunition to join the fray.

"Teach you to control your pets, Potter!"

"I'm no one's pet, you git!" Ginny yelled, unleashing the last of her Dungbombs at Draco, and then she sped back to the castle, completely unscathed.

Harry, however, was forced to land near Malfoy in order to clean the dung from his glasses.

"How come she's the one who starts the trouble, and we're the ones covered in shite?" Draco asked Harry with a grin.

"It's good to be a girl, apparently."

A short time later, Draco was just finishing his shower when he heard Zabini and Nott enter the bathroom. They didn't know he was there; Draco was in the furthermost stall from the door. Ever since Ginny Weasley invaded his mind Draco needed privacy in the shower; privacy and a powerful silencing charm.

"Where were you last night Zabini? You didn't come in until after one; we have classes today." Nott asked.

"In the Astronomy tower with Pansy. I swear Malfoy trained that girl well! Damn, she can snog! Seizes up a bit if you try anything else, but we're working her through that. Speaking of Malfoy's obsessions…Guess who's back on the market?"

"Not the Gryffindor princess?" Nott asked.

"Yup. She was up there having a blazing row with that Mudblood boyfriend of hers. Apparently he doesn't like how she's chumming around with Malfoy and how she's more than a little cozy with Potter. Seems like she's rather a tease, that one."

"But still, have you seen the dragon's humps on her? They're worth the bother."

"I'd love to get my hands on those myself. I'm sure Potter will scoop her up now."

Draco had heard enough and he made his presence known.

"I'll be sure to let Parkinson know about you're designs on the Weaslette's 'assets' Zabini. Should cut down your snogging time dramatically." Malfoy sneared.

"Malfoy, having a little private time in the back stall again? You've been spending a lot of time back there this term," Zabini laughed. "And you're one to talk; you're not above lusting after two women. You'd snap-up Pansy in a heartbeat, if she'd have you."

Draco pushed his way past the two boys and went to dress. Blaise had a point; Draco had found it surprisingly easy to slip under Pansy's spell this week, while he was trying to keep his mind off of Ginny. His feelings for the two girls were so vastly different that he didn't quite know what to make of them. His thoughts of Ginny were hot and invasive, and made him feel as though he needed her for his very survival. His feelings for Pansy, however, were soft and comfortable and made him feel as though he'd come home; although not to any home he'd actually ever known, but to a home as he imagined they should be. And now the Weaslette had dumped the Mudblood. Followed up, by a completely unprovoked Dungbomb attack! A wide grin spread over Draco's face.

"I think I'm IN there," he chuckled to himself and then hurried down to breakfast.

**Authors Note:**

I must give another credit to my dear husband's questionable taste.

I said: "You're a sixteen year old Slytherin boy, talking about girls, while in the shower. What would you call a girl's breasts? He pondered for maybe five seconds before responding "Dragon's Humps" he said with such confidence that I didn't question it.

Oh Dear! What have I married?

If anyone cares...Harry's was flat and firm and Draco's was round and dimpled.

No ETA on the next chapter, it's well underway, but I would like to start having these things Beta read BEFORE I post them. I am aware that my punctuation is horrid. So please try to be patient.


	10. Chapter Nine: We're Just Trying to Get G...

The Devils Triangle

Chapter 9: We're Just Trying to Get Ginny a Decent Snog! (Part One)

"Come on Gin! Let me take your rounds for you tonight. There's no reason why you should spend four hours with that git."

"I'll be fine, Ron."

"Gin please! Take Wednesday with Pansy. She's not that bad; quite funny, really."

"Draco's not that bad either, Ron. If you'd give him a chance you'd see that."

"Ok, then let me give him a chance tonight, while I'm on rounds with him."

"No, Ron, I'm going on rounds with Draco. I like him. If I want to go out with him, I will. If I want to date him, I will. If I want him to snog me senseless, he will. Get over it!"

"But he's a Malfoy, Gin. He's evil. His father tried to kill you. Twice. How can you forget all that?"

"Excuse me; I'm going to wait for him outside." Ginny exited the common room.

Ron plopped himself into the chair opposite Harry, who was reading one of the books Hermione had left with him.

"I think we may have underestimated the Ferret's appeal, mate."

Harry looked up from his book with a chilling glare. "You think?" he asked icily.

"Well, how was I supposed to know? What's she see in him anyway?" Ron asked.

"She thinks he's sexy," Harry said dryly, then he met Ron's shocked gaze and both boys shuddered deeply. "What do you and Pugface talk about, anyway?"

"Don't call her Pugface anymore; she really is alright. And what do you think we talk about? The only thing we have in common is those two," Ron said nodding towards the common room exit.

"Really? What's her take on the situation?"

"I think she's just as stunned as we are. She and Malfoy are tight, really tight. I'd say she definitely has the Power Position there. I think she could put an end to it if she wanted to. As could you; three little words from you, and we'd be rid of him, Harry."

Harry sat bolt upright in his chair. "You don't seriously mean that Ron! It wasn't two weeks ago you were telling me to take my time and make sure I don't hurt her."

"I rather see you hurt her, than him. He will hurt her, I know it."

"Well I won't do it. Don't ask me again. Why don't you stay out of your sister's love life and concentrate on your own! You'll never get anywhere with Hermione if you don't get rid of your harem and start paying attention to her. She's not the type of girl who'll follow you around."

"I've been busy with Quidditch tryouts and Prefect duties," Ron spouted indignantly.

"And why am I explaining myself to you, anyway?" Ron slumped down in his chair, crossed his arms in front of him. "Listen to Harry Bleedin' Potter," he grumbled, "he snogs a few girls and starts giving out advice."

Harry sneered at him. "Where is Hermione, anyway? She was supposed to meet me here, so we could go over my notes about Carina de Florette."

"I dunno where she is. And for your information," Ron said very quietly, "I have something special planned for her birthday. I got her something nice with the money I earned at the joke shop this summer. I was going to give it to her, and…you know…"

"Make your move?" Harry asked, grinning wickedly.

"Yeah," Ron said, his face turning a beautiful shade of crimson.

"Good for you, mate."

"Hi," Draco said as he approached Ginny, who was waiting at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Hi," Ginny responded their eyes met briefly, and then they both looked away; Ginny looking at the floor and Draco finding a very interesting smudge on the wall. They began the descent down the Gryffindor tower steps.

"Why were you outside?" Draco asked.

"Ron's inside…being Ron."

"Ahh…," Draco said, understanding completely. "Same route as last time?" Draco asked.

"Sure."

A shy silence descended over them as they made their way past the Great Hall, down the corridor leading past the library and they were about to descend the stairs leading to the dungeons when Draco stopped short, lifting his finger to his lips.

"Nobody snogs here, too public," Ginny whispered. But then, she heard the unmistakable sound of a girl's giggle.

"How do you do that? It's like you can smell them," she whispered.

"It's a gift," Draco chuckled.

Draco drew his wand, and swiftly turned the corner, peering into a dark alcove. Then he burst out laughing, but it was an evil Slytherin type of laugh, the type that Ginny hadn't heard from him since they were in Umbridge's office, the previous term.

"Well," he said "this is a fortuitous way to begin the evening. I'll have to begin paying attention in Divination. Come here, Ginny, look what we caught. That'll be five points from Ravenclaw, Mr. Headboy!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Headboy-git Marshall pronounced.

"I just did! Take it up with the Headmaster, if you don't like it. AND Miss Granger! I've never been happier to see YOU! That'll be five points from Gryffindor."

"Oh!...Oh Gods!...Ginny!...Oh Gods!... I have to go!"

Ginny stood aghast as she watched Hermione run away.

"You have a private room Marshall, use it next time." Draco called after him as Marshall stomped away.

"Oh, that was BRILLIANT!" Draco laughed. "Absolutely brilliant." Draco turned and noticed the horror etched on Ginny's face. "You're not laughing."

"NO!" Ginny shouted. "It's not funny! Do you have any idea what Ron would do if he found out?"

"Yes!" Draco started laughing anew. "THAT'S the funny bit! Please, let me be there when you tell him!"

"I'm not telling him anything! And neither are you!" Ginny stomped away, down the dungeon stairs.

They quickly determined that this was a subject, better not discussed. Silence descended over them again as they roamed the dark, dank corridors of the dungeons.

"So…what did you do to Astrid?" Ginny began, "You know…for that hex."

Draco cringed a bit, and Ginny took note of the slight flush that passed over his cheeks, she was pleased that he has capable of blushing.

"Nice bum, by the way," she added with a smirk.

"Thank you," he said stiffly. "Astrid has to clean the firsty's dorm and bathroom for the next month, without magic. It's not working out; the other firstys are terrified to go to bed because she puts nasty things in their beds when she makes them." Draco guffawed involuntarily.

"It's not funny!" Ginny exclaimed.

"I can't help it. I've never seen anything like that girl. She's a pip."

"She's mad about you. Do you know that?"

"What are you on about?"

"I mean, she has a huge crush on you."

"Don't be ridiculous. She's a child."

Ginny cleared her throat. "I seem to remember having a crush at her age. A big one."

"But that was on someone you own age! And you had the good sense to runaway, whenever you saw him, not attack him! Although her taste is vastly better than yours, I must say."

"Funny."

"What do I do?"

"I think she's attacking you to get your attention. Try paying attention to her before her attacks."

"I can't encourage her! She's a child! They'd send me to Azkaban! I'll probably end up there someday anyway, but it won't be for child molestation, I assure you!"

"Calm down! Don't joke about going to Azkaban. I don't mean encourage her crush, just be nice to her. You can be nice, when you try. Volunteer to help her with her school work."

"She's smarter than Granger, she could do mine!"

"I bet if you volunteered, she'd say she needed some help."

Draco eyed her warily. "Well, if you think it'll stop her from putting wart powder in my underwear drawer again, it'll be worth it."

Ginny giggled, "How can you like her so much, when she's Muggleborn, but still hate Hermione?

"I don't hate Granger, I dislike her intensely. I hate your brother; Granger's the easiest way to get him going. Granger's just annoying! She's a bossy know-it-all. You don't know what it's like in class with her, asking questions she already knows the answers to, just to hear herself talk. I don't know how Potty and Weasel put up with her."

"Harry's really good at ignoring her, and I'm fairly certain that Ron gets aroused when Hermione's being bossy," she chuckled.

"Oooh! Blimey! Too much information! The more I know about your brother, the more frightening he becomes!"

"Why do you play chess with him, if you hate him?"

"To see you."

"That's not the only reason, and you know it; you both love it."

Draco smirked slightly. "He's good; it's hard to find someone who challenges me."

"You beat him the other night."

"No, I didn't. He hasn't shown me his game yet. He's studying mine. THAT, I respect, very Slytherin strategy; lose, to win in the end."

"You haven't shown him your game either, have you?"

"'Course not," he snickered.

They continued to roam the castle, talking easily together. They didn't find many snoggers, Ginny suspected that Draco wasn't trying, she knew that she wasn't. As they walked along, Draco's arm would occasionally brush against hers, and her breath would involuntarily hitch. Draco would hold doors open for her and guide her through them by placing his hand lightly on the small of her back. When he touched her, Ginny had to close her eyes at the nearly overwhelming charge she felt traveling her spine; both up and down.

"What's up with Potter?" Draco asked, toward the end of their shift. "Every time I see him lately, he's being pulled into a dark alcove by a different girl."

Ginny giggled wickedly. "Harry's going through an experimental phase."

"You don't mind?"

"No, we're just friends," she said a little too emphatically. "Harry deserves to have some fun. He hasn't had a lot of fun in his life."

"Well, I saw him experimenting on a Slytherin girl today, it was disturbing."

"NO! Who?"

"Daphne Greengrass."

"Oh my! Not even the stroppy cows are safe from him!" Ginny giggled merrily. "Be careful, he'll be after Pansy next!"

Draco shot her a menacing glare that quickly turned into a grin. "Actually, that might be worth seeing, she'd eat him alive; Potter's not Parkinson's type. He's in over his head with Daphne."

"You two underestimate each others charms," Ginny said with a knowing grin. "What did you mean about Daphne?"

"He'll find out," Draco drawled lazily.

"Draco, tell me!" Ginny insisted, bumping up against him.

"Well, let's just say she's accustomed to getting more than a snog."

"Really? And you know this from personal experience, do you?"

"Yes, and no," he answered cryptically.

"And what does that mean?" she insisted, not willing to let it drop.

"I've told you, I'm particular, but that doesn't mean I don't get offers. I'm considered quite a catch, you know."

"Of course you are," Ginny said, very encouragingly. Draco glared at her.

"I heard you broke-up with the Mudb… Thomas?"

"Yes. Everyone seems to know already. Is it written on a bathroom wall somewhere?"

"Something like that," Draco chuckled. "Was it because of me?"

"Not really. Well maybe; you and Harry. It just wasn't working out. I didn't feel enough for him, I guess."

"Well, here we are."

Once again, the evening had flown by and Draco had led Ginny back to the Fat Lady without her realizing it. Draco was standing very close to her, looking down at her; Ginny met his gaze. He touched her cheek and ran the pad of his thumb along her jaw line. The energy from his touch went straight to her core; Ginny gulped, and unconsciously licked her lips.

"Good night, Ginny." Draco turned and left abruptly, leaving Ginny gaping at his sudden departure. He was halfway down the first flight of stairs, when he turned back to the still gaping Ginny.

"Ginny, I'll be in the library after breakfast tomorrow, writing a Potions essay." And he was gone.

Ginny stomped into the common room grumbling quite loudly. "I'll be in the library after breakfast tomorrow, writing a Potions essay" she mimicked. "What the Bloody Hell does that mean? Is that supposed to be asking me on a date? Does he need help with his bleedin' essay? Am I supposed to just follow him around like some starry-eyed twit? I don't think so! Damn slimy Slytherin mind games."

"Hey, Gin! How YOU doin'?" said a highly amused Harry from his chair in front of the fire.

"Boys SUCK! I'm going to bed!"

"We're just trouble, Gin. Not worth the effort at all. You'd be better off giving up on us entirely," he called after her as she disappeared up the stairway.

The next morning Ginny was dressing, preparing to go down to breakfast when Hermione entered her dorm room and shut the door. Hermione was looking very tired and tense, as though she hadn't had a minute of sleep.

"Morning, Hermione."

"Ginny please don't tell Harry or Ron. Please." Hermione's eyes were bright with tension.

"I'm not going to tell anyone, Hermione. Are you dating Marshall?"

"No, well yes…no…maybe…I don't know." Hermione seemed confused.

"Hermione, tell me what's going on."

"He likes me; he wants to spend time with me," Hermione looked sad, suddenly.

"What about Ron?" Ginny asked gently, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"What about him? He's always surrounded by girls these days, he barely even notices me, certainly never as a girl. I'm just best mate Hermione. I'm tired of waiting; I'm going to be sixteen next week, Ginny. I've never had a boyfriend. I just want to know what it's like for someone to want me like that. Is that so bad?"

"Not at all. What happened last night?"

"Nothing, Malfoy interrupted before anything happened."

"Are you going to keep seeing him?"

"I think so."

"You're going to have to tell Harry and Ron eventually, you know. This won't stay quiet for long."

"I know, I'll tell them when there's something to tell. I promise."

Ginny and Hermione went to breakfast together. They were sitting across from Harry and Ron, neither noticed anything amiss with Hermione, which just further proved Ginny's theory that teenaged boys suck! Ginny sat with her back to the Slytherin table and carefully avoided making eye contact with Draco, she'd be damned if she was going to follow him to the library! She wasn't his pathetic puppy dog! Harry eyes suddenly focused on something just over her shoulder, and she could tell by Harry's half amused/half annoyed expression that Draco must be standing behind her.

"Morning, Ginny. Are you ready?" Draco asked.

"Ready for what?" Ginny asked icily, only partially looking at him.

"Would you like to study with me in the library?" She turned to look at him fully, and immediately, the amused smirk and the intense grey gaze melted her.

"Ok," she said weakly.

Draco and Ginny were soon ensconced in a secluded table in the deep recesses of the library. Draco spread his Hermione-sized pile of books around him, and Ginny was horrified to learn that when Draco went to the library to 'study', he studied! There was no talking and no flirting involved! Well, that's not entirely true; he was sitting very close to her and their legs rubbed together under the table quite frequently. Occasionally, he would read over her shoulder and whisper suggestions in her ear about the Charms homework she was working on. Ginny liked that even though he was basically correcting her mistakes, she was hopeless in Charms, he made it seem as though he was just making suggestions; he didn't make her feel inadequate at all.

Draco Malfoy was a puzzle, not at all who he once appeared to be. Ginny liked puzzles. He was always intense about whatever it was he was doing at that moment; when he was studying, it seemed as though that was that most important thing in the world. When he was insulting his enemies, he gave it his all. When he was looking at Ginny, he made her feel as though she was the center of his world. Ginny remembered wryly that she'd seen him fix that intense gaze on Pansy more than once.

After several hours of studying, Ginny's stomach was beginning to rumble loudly. She was finishing her Herbology assignment, and blowing a wayward strand of hair out of her face for the tenth time, it had simply refused to stay in the plait running down her back. Draco reached over and tucked the strand of hair behind her ear for her, his fingers lingering, running lightly on the outer rim of her ear.

"I'm done here," he began, "how about a game or two of chess, after lunch?"

Ginny nodded. "Ready for lunch? I'm hungry."

They returned to the Great Hall and after a brief discussion, separated to their own house tables to eat; Draco would die before eating at the Gryffindor table, and Ginny wanted to avoid the indigestion that would surely accompany eating at the Slytherin table. One could carry this house unity thing only so far.

"Where would you like to play?" Ginny asked after lunch.

"In the dungeons," he said leading the way to the Slytherin common room.

The Slytherin common room was crowded with staring Slytherins, and Ginny was surprised when Draco motioned to the stairway leading to the dormitory.

"It's not like you've never been there before," he dared her with his eyes.

Ginny's eyes widened, it was true, she'd been to his chambers only one week ago, but the circumstances had changed drastically since then. Ginny glared at him and accepted his dare, she lead the way up the stairs.

Ginny entered the boy's dormitory to meet the wolfish grin of Blaise Zabini.

"Hello, Princess," he said, while leering at her. "Impressive Malfoy. Very impressive. No need to tell me, I'm gone." Zabini gathered his belongings and left the room.

"What does Pansy see in him?" Ginny said with a shudder.

"Haven't a clue," replied Draco dryly.

Draco carefully checked his bed for gifts from Astrid before sitting on it and setting up the Wizard's Chess board in the middle. He motioned for Ginny to join him on the bed. Ginny was beginning to regret her decision, but she sat on the bed.

She immediately noticed that Draco's chess set was lovely, it looked very old and the pieces seemed to be made of ivory. She also noticed that the pieces were rather feistier than she was accustomed to; they were all staring up at her and talking amongst themselves.

"Oi, 'at's a different young lady 'at is!" said the Bishop to the Castle.

"Aye, it's a pretty one too. She looks like one worth taken a sword in the gut for," the Castle responded.

Ginny gave Draco a questioning look and he chuckled.

"I should warn you, a few years ago for my birthday, Parkinson charmed them; my chessmen are a bit more randy than your average chessmen."

Ginny laughed. "This should be interesting," she said as she moved her first Pawn.

Several moves into the game, Draco took one of Ginny's Knights and all the chessmen turned to stare at Ginny.

"Why are they all looking at me?" Ginny asked.

"Come on, Luv. Take something off," Ginny's King said.

Draco's eyes went wide. "Oh! No! We're not playing that game, blokes. Regular rules this time."

There general grumbling and unrest on the chess board.

"Blimey! I was looking forward to her top coming off!" said one of Ginny's white Pawns.

"DRACO?" Ginny gasped.

Draco laughed, but he had the decency to blush a bit. "Erm…well…they're used to playing strip chess," Draco said with a slight grimace.

"Strip chess? You and Pansy play strip chess?"

"We've been known to, yes." Draco was frantically trying to think of a way out of this one.

"Just friends?" Ginny asked him for probably the third or forth time, since they'd become friendly.

Draco looked her in the eye. "Absolutely. Just friends," Draco managed to say with a straight face, but the naughty twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable.

Ginny went in for the kill.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll have to suggest a game to Harry. Come to think of it, that's a brilliant idea, Harry's a horrible chess player, and I'll have him naked in five minutes!"

Ginny smiled at him sweetly as has ground his teeth and seemed to mentally implode.

"It's your move, Weasley," he spat through his teeth.

Once the chessmen realized they weren't going to see any more of Ginny than was already on display, they quieted down. Draco's jaw eventually relaxed as they continued their game.

"I know what you're doing!" Ginny blurted suddenly.

"Playing chess?" Draco asked confused.

"You know that Ron hasn't shown you his chess game yet, so you think by studying mine, you'll learn about his. Thinking we have similar technique, growing up together and all!" Ginny nodded, proud of herself for figuring it all out.

Draco smirked at her and gave her an incredulous glare.

"Yes, Weasley" he drawled lazily. "You've figured me out. My main motivation for inviting pretty girls to my bedchamber is always to study their chess technique. I'm wily that way."

Ginny grinned at him, blushed, and changed the subject.

"Why do they call me the Gryffindor Princess?" she asked.

Draco shrugged. "You've always been called that in Slytherin house, since your first year. I don't know who came up with it, but it stuck."

"Why? Oh never mind, I get it….you were making fun of me."

"No! It's just that you were off-limits, unattainable."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your brothers! Those twin lunatics you're related to! Don't you know?"

"No…but you're going to tell me," she said cautiously.

"When you arrived they threatened the lives of any bloke who so much as talked to you. No one dared defy those two. They eased up, slightly, after a year or two, but the name stuck, you grew into it."

"I'm going to kill them."

"Why? It seems like a normal brotherly thing to do, for them."

"You're right, I shouldn't blame them. It's just that I was so lonely my first year, so miserable and invisible; I got myself into a lot of trouble."

"What are you talking about? You've never been trouble."

Ginny laughed. "I nearly killed people. I opened the Chamber."

Draco froze in shock and looked at her.

"I think I need you to start from the beginning if you don't mind."

So Ginny started from the beginning. She told Draco about Tom Riddle and his diary and about his father's roll in her acquiring the diary. She didn't go into great detail; there were some things that she'd only ever told Harry. She felt that Draco needed to know; both about Tom and his father.

"The Dark Lord's not even a pure blood," he laughed "does my father know that?"

"I have no idea. Check."

"Bugger!" Draco swore, as he realized the game was lost. "And Potter saved you? I always thought that was an exaggeration."

Ginny giggled, "You're not going to like this, but there's no need to exaggerate when it comes to Harry. Checkmate."

Draco was looking at her expectantly, now that the game was over. "Where is it?"

"Where is what?" she asked befuddled.

"You know, that sexy little dance you do when you win," he said waggling his eyebrows.

"Sexy little what? Oh Gods! That's not a sexy dance! I've been doing that since I was nine! I do it to annoy my brother! Not to titillate horny teenaged boys! Not to mention a board full of randy chessmen!"

"Oh." Draco was disappointed. "I guess I'm not going to let you win again then."

"You didn't let me win!" Ginny was incensed. "Take that back, Malfoy!"

"No! I let you win," Draco taunted her.

Ginny grabbed the pillow from his bed and wound up threatening to hit him.

"I let you win," Draco repeated.

"Take that back, Malfoy!"

Ginny swung the pillow with all her might, Draco blocked it and wrested it away from her. Ginny launched herself at him, throwing herself over the chess board, sending chessmen screaming in every direction.

"Make me, Weasley," Draco laughed as he grabbed her in midair, restrained her hands, and rolled her down onto the bed, trapping her beneath him. "Make me, Weasley," he repeated quietly. He released her hands, his face inches away from hers, he was looking at her full bow-shaped lips like a hungry man.

Ginny lay vary still, eyes locked on him. _He's going to kiss me. Oh gods! Please kiss me_. Draco's face came nearer, nearer, she felt his warm lips touch hers; then he stopped.

"Monster!" he yelled towards the open dormitory door. "Stop lurking in the corridor! Get in here!" Draco and Ginny sat up to face Astrid as she timidly entered the room. "What?" he snapped impatiently, running his hand through his hair in frustration.

Astrid was looking at him shyly, innocently, her eyes wide with trepidation. "Draco…it's time…you promised," she said her little bottom lip trembling. Draco melted instantly.

"So I did." Draco sighed and looked at Ginny, "I promised I'd help her with her Potions this afternoon," he said giving Ginny a 'You got me into this' look. Draco stood, pulling Ginny up with him. "Monster, give me a half hour to walk Ginny back to Gryffindor tower. Ok?"

"She too thick to find her own way back?" Astrid pouted.

"Astrid! That's five points from Slytherin for impertinence! Apologized to Ginny, now! Or I won't help you."

"Sorry, Weasley," Astrid said coldly. "I'm sure you could find your own way home…eventually."

"Astrid!" Draco snapped.

"No," Ginny interrupted, quite amused by what she had just witnessed. "It's fine Draco. Let's just go."

As soon as Draco turned his back to collect Ginny's book bag Astrid sneered at Ginny and stuck out her tongue. Ginny was about to respond in kind, but Draco turned back around.

"She has you wrapped around her little finger!" Ginny laughed at him as they exited the Slytherin common room.

"I know. She manipulates me. I know she's doing it and I let her. Not like me at all, really. Did you see how she got her bottom lip to quiver? Brilliant performance!"

"I can't believe I'm competing with an eleven-year-old for your attention!" Ginny grumbled.

"We might add, you're losing too!" Draco laughed.

"Shut it!" Ginny snapped, whacking him in the chest. Draco grabbed her hand, and kept it, entwining her fingers amongst his.

Draco was rather relived that Astrid had interrupted them. He hadn't planned to kiss Ginny today. He wanted to kiss her; there were moments when the urge was too great to ignore. But he couldn't, not yet. Phase One was complete; the Mudblood was gone. Phase Two had only just begun, that being, make her want him more than he wanted her. Difficult? Yes. Challenging? Definitely. Possible? Well, Draco hadn't quite answered that question yet.

There was still the nagging issue of Potter. (Bloody Effin Git Potter!) What would Potter do now that Ginny was free? Did Draco stand a chance if Potter entered the ring? Draco needed to find out.

"Harry's starting his DA meetings next week. Are you going to go?" Ginny asked.

Draco stared at her blankly.

"The DA? The Defense Association? Dumbledore's Army?

Light dawned for Draco. "You mean that silly army he formed last year?" Draco laughed, and Ginny nodded. "NO! I'm not going."

"Why not? Harry's a really good teacher."

"There's nothing that Potter knows, that I need to learn," Draco jeered.

'That silly army saved my life last spring when Deatheaters were trying to kill us. Your father and aunt included," Ginny said coldly. "That silly army turned you and your mates into slimy, twitching blobs on the Hogwarts Express last spring. You could stand to improve your hex throwing, you know. Harry could help."

"I don't belong there Ginny," Draco cautioned quietly. "Don't try to make me fit into that crowd, I never will, I'll never want to."

"How do you know if you won't give it a chance?"

"Ginny…No."

"Harry's going to teach the Patronus Charm; only very powerful Wizards can make a corporeal Patronus. If Harry can do it, don't you think you can too? Wouldn't you like to know what form yours would take?"

"You think you can manipulate me that easily?" he asked testily.

"Astrid does it," Ginny grinned.

They had arrived at their destination.

"I'll see you later Ginny." Draco dropped her hand and started away. "My Patronus is a Romanian Longhorn Dragon. His name is Spike. Remus taught me this summer," he called, grinning, as he walked away from her.

Thanks to Ginny's very productive trip to the library on Saturday, Sunday evening arrived and Ginny had no school work left incomplete. Harry convinced her to help him search through a pile of Hermione's books; looking for references to Carina de Florette. It wasn't as bad as she though it would be. It was great fun, really. She was currently perusing a book of 14th century love spells; the spells promised to produce any number of results for yourself or your lover. She and Harry had spent the prior two hours sitting at a common room table with their heads together, giggling themselves silly over what they were reading. They had reached the point where they were drunk with giddiness, and anything seemed hysterically funny. Their fellow Gryffindors were giving them odd looks and shying away from them; neither Ginny nor Harry noticed, they were in their own world together, having fabulous time.

"Here's one Harry," Ginny giggled, "a potion to make your lover more amorous. Hmmm. It's one hundred percent effective, but it also has severe digestive repercussions. I think that means that you'll definitely be laid, but you'll probably be vomited on before the evening's over." Ginny's burst into a fit of laughter.

Harry wiped tears from his eyes. "Well, desperate times, call for desperate measures, I suppose," he said before he collapsed onto his arms on the table in his own fit.

Ginny continued reading. "This potion here is for the Wizard who needs to enlarge his…Oh My!"

"Hey, let me have a look at that one!" Harry said, pulling the book toward him, with a sniffle.

"Is that something you'd be interested in Harry?" she snorted a laugh.

"Why not? A bloke can never a big enough Oh My! Can he?"

"Oh My!" Ginny burst again.

Draco had entered the Gryffindor common room, for his chess match with the Weasel. Ginny didn't notice him, she seemed…otherwise occupied. He and Ron had been playing for about thirty minutes, the giggling at the other end of the common room was grating on Draco's last nerve.

"What is going on over there?" Draco finally broke down and asked Ron, who'd been steadfastly ignoring the two of them.

"They're supposed to be doing research for Hermione; somehow, I think they've gone off course a bit," Ron chuckled.

"Are they always like that?" Draco asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"What? Giggling? No," Ron answered, not sure of the question.

"No, I mean are they always that…cozy?"

Ron looked at Harry and Ginny, sitting closely with their heads together over a book; a wide wicked grin crossed his face as he looked back at the Ferret. "That's nothing," Ron answered honestly, "she's usually sitting on his lap." Ron laughed at Draco's furrowed brow. "I've had my fill of them, myself. I'll do you a favor. Oy! You two! If all you're going to do is giggle, then do it while you go to the kitchens to get me a snack. I'm feeling peckish."

"Ron, that sounds like a brilliant idea," Harry exclaimed. "Hungry, Ginny?"

"I could eat." Ginny looked around, and finally noticed Draco concentrating on the chessboard. "Draco! I didn't see you come in! When did you get here?"

"About a half hour ago," he drawled testily, not looking up from the game.

Harry snickered and gave Ginny a 'you're in trouble' look.

Ginny rolled her eyes and grumbled something about boys under her breath.

She went over to Draco's chair, Harry's chair really, and sat on the arm.

"Hi," she said as she ran her finger along the outside of Draco's ear, making his breath hitch.

He finally turned to look at her and when he met her warm chocolate gaze, he softened completely. "Hello, Young Lady," he said smoothly, returning her smile.

Ginny felt bathed in warmth as his gaze took her in.

"Oh bugger! Don't make me watch this!" Ron complained. "Go get me food."

"Would you like anything from the kitchen Draco?" Ginny asked softly, never acknowledging her brother.

Draco nodded. "Something chocolate, and some crisps if you find them."

"Alright," she said, standing up and backing away, reluctant to break their gaze.

Ginny and Harry turned to leave.

"Hello!" Ron interrupted their exit. "It was my bleedin' idea! Is anyone going to ask me what I want?"

"Wasn't planning on it, no," quipped Ginny.

"Sorry Ron. What would you like?" Harry asked consolingly.

Ron seemed placated, slightly. "Chocolate and crisps sounds good…and a sandwich."

"Do you want a snack or a meal?" Ginny snapped.

"What's the difference?"

Ginny huffed out of the common room with Harry trailing closely behind.

"It's your move Malfoy," Ron groaned, rolling his eyes and snapping Draco out of his reverie of staring at the spot where Ginny had disappeared.

After about a forty minutes had passed Draco began to get impatient, he couldn't think of why a trip to the kitchen should take so long. Ron noticed him glaring continually at the empty doorway.

"You don't have a chance with her," Ron pronounced matter-of-factly.

"I think I'm doing alright," Draco said confidently.

"I'm not trying to scare you off because I hate you, although I do. I think a Mountain Troll could make Ginny happier than you ever could. But you can't deny the obvious; those two belong together. Don't tell me you can't feel they energy they create, it's become palpable, and it only gets stronger everyday. They'll figure it out eventually, it's only a matter of time."

"I don't remember asking for your opinion or your advice," Draco said tightly and coldly, a dark, menacing cloud falling over his face. "It's too bad about you and Granger," Draco began; his tone had turned smooth and calm as he spoke in his lazy drawl. "But still, you're better off without her. Let the Mudbloods breed amongst them selves. Find your self a nice Pureblood girl, and make a dozen Weasley's you can't afford, with her."

"What are you going on about?" Ron gasped.

"Didn't your sister tell you? We discovered Granger and the Headboy-git in a tryst during our rounds on Friday. Where is your dear Hermione, by the way?"

"Bloody hell!" Ron exploded. "Where is she? I'll kill him!"

Ron began pacing the common room like a caged animal, not knowing what to do next, all the while working himself into fiery rage.

"I'm guessing you don't want to play anymore then?" Draco queried innocently.

Harry and Ginny returned to the common room laden with the spoils of their adventure.

One glance at Ron and they knew they'd missed something important.

"What happened?" Harry asked unloading his arms.

"Apparently, Hermione's off snogging Headboy-git Marshall. I have to find them."

"What did you do?" spat Ginny at Draco.

Draco merely shrugged and smirked, while picking up the bowl of crisps that Harry had just deposited.

"The map, Harry!" Ron trumpeted. "I need the map!"

Ron was gone in a flash, up the stairs with Harry and Ginny hot on his tail. Draco also followed very closely, with his bowl of crisps; he wasn't going to miss a second of this!

"Ron! No!" Harry pled with him. "She's not your girlfriend Ron; you've said it a thousand times. Even if she were, you'd have no right to spy on her like this!"

Ron ignored Harry and rummaged through Harry's trunk until he found the Marauder's Map.

"Ron, please! Don't do this. Think about the Power Position; you'll ruin it."

"Fuck the bloody Power Position! She's mine!"

"What's the Power Position?" Draco muttered in Ginny's ear.

"No idea," Ginny muttered back. "And I'm not talking to you!"

Ron had spread the map out on his bed and Draco moved in as close as he dared to look at it. He was careful to stay out of Ron's direct path, for he knew that it was possible for Ron's wrath to turn on him at any moment. But that map looked interesting.

"She's in his room," Ron whispered as though all the air had been drained from his body. Then, the Weasley rage recovered itself. "She's in the bloody git's private room!" he bellowed, and he was out the door.

Harry stopped Ginny and Draco in the common room.

"Ginny, you stay here and make sure Malfoy's gone before Hermione comes back. She'll turn him into a ferret permanently if she sees him tonight. I'll go try to talk some sense into Ron, failing that; I'll try to make sure no one gets killed."

Harry ran after Ron.

"Are you happy now?" Ginny asked coldly, glaring at Draco.

"Moderately."

"How could you do that to him? How could you be that cruel?"

"He deserved it!" Draco exploded. "He started it, he was being an arse!"

"Grrrr…when will you two stop niggling each other and grow up?" she shouted.

"Not any time soon, I'm sure!" Draco pouted.

"What did he say to you?"

"I'd better go now, Ginny," Draco said quietly as he turned toward the door.

"Draco!" Ginny blocked his path, and held both of his hands in hers. "Was it about us? What did he say?"

Draco met Ginny's gaze with a neutral, unreadable expression. "Nothing I didn't already know, really. This isn't going to work, Ginny. Us. We won't work."

Ginny felt like a balloon pricked with a pin.

"But…we haven't even tried," she whispered breathlessly.

"It's best we don't. Good night."

Draco turned and left; Ginny noted for the first, but not the last time, how very good he was at walking away.

**Authors Notes:**

I nicked the Strip chess idea from an EXTREMELY cute R/Hr one shot on Checkmated:

Strategic Maneuvers by Syn

I swear to myself that this is my last unbeta-ed chapter! (I won't put money on it though.)

I setup a livejournal page for myself. I'll post unbeta-ed chapters there first for those of you who are extremely addicted to the plight of our fair Ginny.

See my author's bio for the web address of the livejournal.

As an added treat, I wrote a one-shot for the D/G Feast contest. (It does not take place in TDT universe, so don't go looking for clues.) All of the teen-angst in this story was getting to me, I had to let D/G grow-up and release some tension! It's rated NC-17, not meant for my younger readers. I'll post the address on my livejournal site. Please read it and post a message, letting me know what you think. (Should I stick to the R-rating and lower?)


	11. Chapter Ten: We're Just Trying to Get Gi...

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 10: We're Just Trying to Get Ginny a Decent Snog! (Part 2) **

Harry was only at breakfast, but it felt as though he were in hell.

His friends surrounded him in silence, glaring at one another. The only reason that they were sitting together was that no one was angry with Harry. He was the only person that anyone would talk to, although he was rather wishing that they wouldn't.

Ron was stoically eating his breakfast, but if you knew him, you could still see the rage simmering. Harry had been unable to stop Ron from invading Head Boy-git Marshall's room; he nearly broke through the Head Boy's portrait hole before it was opened for him. Once inside, he carried Hermione bodily from the room. From what Harry could see, it seemed as though they'd only been studying together, but Ron didn't care about details. Harry had hoped, at least, that Ron would take this opportunity to tell Hermione how he honestly felt, but he didn't, he just forbade her from seeing him. Hermione didn't respond well to this edict.

Hermione wouldn't talk, or even look at, Ron. She'd said her fill the previous night, shockingly using language that made Seamus Finnegan blush. Harry gave her high marks for creativity and resourcefulness in telling Ron where he could go, what he could shove, and how he should rotate it. Harry could only attribute her using such language to her watching too much Muggle television over holiday. Hermione was also not speaking to Ginny, blaming her for the Ferret being within provoking distance of Ron.

Ginny was only momentarily silent, she'd spent the morning badgering Ron, trying to discover what he'd said to Malfoy the previous evening to set Draco off. Ron had refused to talk about it.

The only thing that kept Harry in his seat was the fact that his first class was double Potions, in which he was sitting next to Malfoy; therefore, was in no hurry to get there. Harry kept his head down and concentrated on chewing his sausages.

After breakfast, Ginny attacked Ron again.

"Ron, tell me what you told Draco," she pestered him.

"Gin, go to class and leave me alone," Ron said, walking away from her quickly. Ginny stopped him by jumping in his path and brandishing her wand. Harry rolled eyes, there was a Bat-Bogey coming, he could feel it.

"I only stated the obvious Ginny, and he seems to have agreed with me, if that's what made him leave. I'm not sorry for doing it. I'm glad he's gone!" Ron was speaking inches away from Ginny's face, daring her to hex him. Harry was backing away slowly, getting out of range.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, I swear I'll get you for this," Ginny seethed, her anger barely contained. "It's not enough for you to destroy your own chance at happiness; you have to destroy mine too!" Before Ron could despute, Ginny stormed off alone.

Harry was now furious with Ron. "Good job, Ron! Before she only had a crush, NOW Malfoy's her 'only chance at happiness'; you've just made her want him more!" Harry punched Ron on the arm, hard, and then ran after Ginny.

"Ouch! You bruised me!" Ron called after him.

"Gin! Gin…wait up. Are you alright?"

"Harry, I'll be fine. It's not like anything actually happened between us. I don't want to talk about it."

Harry honestly wanted to dance for joy that Malfoy was gone, but Ginny was in pain and he wanted to help.

"Alright then, we won't talk about it. What about Hermione? It's her birthday tomorrow."

Ginny was pensive suddenly. "Hmm…we can't let Ron-the-git ruin her sixteenth birthday."

"I think that Ron's just upset because he was planning something for her birthday. He mentioned getting her something special."

"Probably too little, too late, now. But still, we should do something for Hermione. How about a party tomorrow evening?"

Harry nodded. "Sounds good, maybe Ron will come around by then and patch things up."

Ginny looked at Harry skeptically. She knew first hand how fiercely an indignant Weasley could hold a position. "Harry, why don't you ask Dobby for snacks for the party? He'd do anything for you and Hermione. I'll tell Lavender and Pavarti, they're the surest way to make sure all of Gryffindor knows about it. Then I'll see to the decorations. How's that sound?"

Harry gave Ginny a tight squeeze. "Good, thanks for all your help Gin."

"We'll I'm off, see you later, Harry." Ginny shouted as she ran off, towards the greenhouses.

As Harry took his seat next to Malfoy in their Potions class. He felt the need to punch Draco hard, on the upper arm. Harry resolved that he would be hitting those who deserved it more often, it was a great way to relieve his tension and it felt good.

"Ahh! Bugger Potter! What's that for?" Draco hissed.

"That's for the fact that all of my friends are miserable and not speaking to one another and it's entirely your fault!"

"It's not my fault! I only told the truth. I thought you Gryffs respected veracity, or is that only when it's convenient for you?" Draco taunted.

"Shut up, Malfoy, and chop the thistle," Harry whispered as he noticed Snape glaring at them.

Draco chuckled as he observed Ron and Hermione diligently ignoring one another.

Hermione had convinced Dean to work with her, leaving Ron and Seamus as partners.

"So those two are on the outs, eh?" he chuckled.

"You think it's funny? I suppose you think it's funny that you hurt Ginny too?"

Harry said viciously.

Draco's expression went solemn suddenly. "The Weaslette's angry with me?"

"She's hurt. She won't talk about it."

"Potter, you're doing that wrong! You stir three times clockwise, four times counter clockwise. Bloody hell! You can memorize the directions in one pass, but you're still incapable of following them! What's the Power Position?"

"What?" Harry asked, wondering how Draco knew about that.

"Last night you said something about it while you were trying to quell the Weasel's temper. What is it?"

"Just a theory of Ron's, which it appears he's incapable of following himself."

"Well, what is it?" Draco hissed impatiently.

Harry glared at him. "No! Malfoy, Don't yell at me about not following directions! First you add the ground Dragon's Tooth, then the Toad Bile.

It's about friendship being stronger than romantic attachment. You have more influence as a friend."

"Oh. You can stop stirring now; it needs to simmer over night. Is that why you haven't made a move on the Weaslette," Draco continued cautiously, "you think it'll be easier to influence her against me as a friend?"

Harry laughed at him. "You seem quite capable of destroying any chance you have with her all by yourself. You don't need my help. You've very generously accused me of being arrogant and self-centered at every turn, but your arrogance beats mine any day. What Ginny and I have is ours alone, and the status of our relationship has nothing to do with you."

"You can't tell me you don't have feelings for her."

"I don't plan to tell you much one way or the other. It's complicated."

It was Draco's turn to laugh. "Yeah, I've worked that bit out for myself, thanks."

Harry stumbled numbly through the remainder of his day. He ate his meals with his friends in silence, preferring not to be used as the mediator; he just didn't have the energy.

After dinner he begged out of his date with Daphne Greengrass, saying he didn't feel well. It wasn't really a lie, all he wanted to do was go to bed and end this miserable day.

Harry faded into sleep slowly that night. His head was swimming in visions of his friends fighting, and his problems, and their problems. He really shouldn't have been surprised when he awoke screaming in the wee hours of the morning, his scar burning like never before.

"Harry! Harry!" Ron was frantically shaking him awake. "Harry, are you alright?"

"I'm awake now. I'm alright," he said groggily. "Bugger, that hurt!"

Ron sat on Harry's bed, brow furrowed in concern. "What was that Harry? Was it him? Was he in your head?"

Harry shook his head, still shaking visibly. "It was different. It felt different. I think I was in his head. I think I saw what he was seeing. Ron, he was surrounded by Death Eaters; Death Eaters who should be in Azkaban right now. I saw the Lestranges, and Nott and Dolohov, they were all kneeling before him as if apologizing for something. He was furious, I can still feel it."

"That doesn't make sense," Ron whispered cautiously, "if there was a prison break he'd be ecstatic, wouldn't he? And Harry, are you saying that he didn't know that you were there?"

"I don't know Ron, I don't know anything. I don't even know if what I saw was real. I should go to Dumbledore about this," he said albeit reluctantly.

"Want me to go with you, mate?"

"No, you go back to sleep, this shouldn't cause both of us to lose a nights sleep."

The next morning Harry arrived late to breakfast. He'd spent an hour in Dumbledore's office, while the Headmaster tried to gather information to corroborate Harry's vision. Dumbledore finally sent Harry to bed, saying that he'd update him, in the morning.

Harry didn't need an update from the Headmaster in the morning; by the time Harry arrived to breakfast, the Great Hall was abuzz. Hermione held up her copy of _The Daily Prophet_ as Harry read the headline: **'BREAK OUT AT AZKABAN- 10 Dead.'**

"What's it say Hermione?" he asked, as he took his seat.

"Well the people who were killed were all Aurors. They'd been acting as guards since the Dementors abandoned the prison," Hermione summarized.

"Who were the Aurors? Do we know them?" Harry asked.

"I don't know, their names haven't been released yet. The article only lists the names and pictures of the Death Eaters who escaped: The Lestranges- Bellatrix and Rodolphus as well as his brother Rabastan, Crabbe, Goyle, Nott, Dolohov, Macnair, Jugson, Avery, Rookwood, and Mulciber."

Harry looked at Hermione curiously. "Isn't there someone missing from that list?"

"That's the strange part Harry, when the reinforcements arrived at the prison they found Lucius Malfoy sitting in his open cell, calmly as you please. The paper says that all Malfoy would say was that he was in the middle of a particularly good book, when the attack occurred, and he couldn't be bothered to leave."

Ginny burst into giggles, and then quickly suppressed them when the others stared at her.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly, "I've a weakness for the Malfoy wit, apparently."

"I wonder what that means. Why wouldn't he leave? I'll have to ask the Headmaster later."

"Dumbledore's gone to the Ministry, Harry. It'll have to wait.

Harry stumbled through another miserable day. Draco didn't show up in any of his classes or meals. Many students were huddled in groups here and there whispering and gossiping.

The only bright spot on the horizon was Hermione's birthday party that evening. At least Harry hoped it was a bright spot; Ron and Hermione still weren't speaking, but Harry was hopeful that Ron would come around before the party.

By all outward indications Hermione's birthday celebration was a great success. Almost everyone in Gryffindor house was there to celebrate her important day. Harry thought that both Dobby and Ginny had done a wonderful job. Dobby provided enough cake, ice cream and Butterbeer for a small army. Ginny had received a supply of party favors from _Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes_. That included a large banner stretching the length of the common room blinking 'Happy Birthday Hermione'. The banner was charmed to sing a happy birthday limerick to her, which in the beginning of the evening was quite funny, but as the evening was progressing the limerick became quite funny and quite naughty. Harry was surprised by how many naughty things rhymed with Hermione. A shocked and horrified Hermione insisted that Ginny remove the spell from the banner. A very apologetic Ginny complied, insisting that she didn't know that the banner would behave in such a wanton manner. Harry, of course, knew better than to believe her.

The colourful party favors charmed to fly about the room and explode over their victims head. Harry enjoyed these in particular; laughting as they would, for some reason seek out Neville often.

The only thing marring this evening was the conspicuous absence of Ron. Hermione's eyes would flicker to the door whenever anyone entered, seeing it was never Ron. She put on a brave face and tried to have fun.

"Harry, it's lovely," Hermione exclaimed, when she saw the bookcase he'd given her. "You shouldn't have given me anything. I already have all the books you gave me from Grimmauld Place."

"Well, now you have someplace to keep them all. I didn't buy it or anything; I nicked it from an abandoned classroom. I found it while I was…exploring the castle."

"Translation," Ginny interrupted, "he found it while looking for a quiet place to snog a girl senseless."

"Something like that," Harry blushed.

"Honestly, Harry," Hermione admonished. "You're getting quite the reputation, you know, the idea is choose one girl and stick with her for a while."

Harry sighed and shrugged. "I can't choose; I've been spoilt, I can't find anyone who compares to you two lovely ladies," Harry said blandly, barely maintaining a straight face.

Ginny and Hermione looked at one another in horror, and then burst out laughing.

"Oh Merlin, help us!" Ginny laughed. "He's turning into a smooth-talker. Here, Hermione, open mine, you'll like it."

"Thanks Ginny," she said, taking the package from Ginny. "Tell me Harry, how do you go about choosing the girls you spend time with?"

"Huh?" Harry looked befuddled.

"Well, you said you're having trouble finding a girl that you particularly like, maybe we can help."

"Uh-oh. I mean, OK," Harry said with trepidation. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, do you kiss every girl you go out with?" she asked succinctly.

"Hermione!" Harry shrieked, the colour rising on his face. "Of course not."

Ginny was snickering helplessly into her palm; nobody could make Harry squirm like Hermione.

"Well," Hermione continued, "how do you determine which ones to kiss and which ones not to kiss?"

"I don't know, Hermione," he said desperately, vowing to kill Ron for leaving him alone with both Hermione and Ginny. "I suppose…I suppose I kiss them when things become quiet; when I can't think of anything to say."

"Harry, are you saying that you kiss a girl to cover an awkward pause in conversation?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"No! Well…maybe a little," he admitted.

Ginny was now dying in fits of giggles.

"We may have found your problem Harry," Hermione laughed, "try kissing the girls that you can chat happily with all evening, or, even better, the ones that you can be quiet with, and still be perfectly comfortable."

Harry's gazed rested on Ginny for a brief moment, before moving away.

"That doesn't happen very often, does it?" he asked.

"No," Hermione said quietly. "That's why you need to act when it does, or you may lose it." Hermione had finished opening Ginny's gift. "Ginny, thank you, what is it, a puzzle?"

"Yes, I love these types of puzzles. It's called a Portrait Puzzle, it's like a Muggle Jigsaw puzzle, but the picture moves."

"The picture moves? How can you make a picture if it moves?"

"Well, that's the challenge isn't it?" Ginny giggled, "I started you with an easy one, it's just a landscape, so the seasons change slowly, but that's all. It's the puzzles that have people in them that make you go spare."

"Thank you Ginny, we'll have fun with this."

Once the party had started winding down, Harry escaped to the dormitory, desperately needing a good nights sleep.

The curtains on Ron's bed were drawn. Harry parted them to find Ron, still fully clothed, staring at the ceiling, looking miserable.

"You're an idiot, you know that don't you?"

"Thanks, mate." Ron moped.

"It's not too late, she's still down there, people are clearing out, and you could talk to her privately."

"I'd just ruin her birthday more," he sulked.

"Don't piss her off, and you won't," Harry teased.

"That's what I do, Harry, I can't help it."

"Ron, please, just go talk to her, even a fight would be better than the deafening silence. At least we're all comfortable with the fighting."

"Ok and I'll try not to fight. If she hexes me to bits, you'll pick up the pieces?"

"I promise, I'll put them in a bucket and take them to the hospital wing myself."

Ron reluctantly made his way to the common room. Ginny and Hermione were still there, working on the puzzle Ginny had given her.

Ron couldn't help but to smirk to himself as he saw students flee the room the second they saw him approach Hermione.

"Hi," he said as he reached the table. Ginny and Hermione looked up abruptly.

"Hi," Hermione responded cautiously.

Ginny yawned and stretched dramatically. "Well, I'm really tired, I'm going to bed, I'll help you with this tomorrow Hermione."

"Ok, thanks, Ginny. Good night." When Ginny was gone Ron sat stiffly in the seat that Ginny had abandoned.

"You're making a puzzle, Ginny likes these," he said while staring at a puzzle piece that he was fingering. He could feel Hermione's eyes on him, waiting.

"She's the one who gave it to me."

"Oh." Ron was beginning to curse Harry for this; he had no idea what to say.

"Was there something you wanted Ron? Because I need to go to bed myself." Hermione stood to leave.

"Don't go," he blurted, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Why not?"

"Cause, I need to fix this."

"Ok…fix it." Hermione sat back down and continued staring at him.

"I'm sorry," he said, peeking at her from the corner of his eye.

"For what?"

"You know, for the other night."

"No, Ron, I don't know. Are you sorry for humiliating me? For manhandling me? For treating me like a child? For invading my privacy? For interfering in my love life? Which is it? I can keep lengthening the list if you like."

"No! Please don't." Ron burst out of the chair and strode several paces away. Then, he turned to face Hermione for the first time. He was ashamed of himself when he saw the pain in her eyes. "I'm sorry for all of it, I had no right. You can snog whomever you like, I won't interfere. I just want my mate back." Ron flashed her, his special grin.

Then Ron added, "Just don't snog Malfoy, alright? I couldn't handle you liking him, too."

Hermione laughed gently, wiping away a tear. "No fear there. I wasn't snogging anyone Ron, we were just studying."

Ron walked to the window and looked out into the black night. "But you want to, right? You like him?"

"He likes me. I guess I like him a little. I don't think I like him enough to kiss him though."

"Oh. That's good. He's a git anyway." Ron was still staring out the window. Hermione had risen to stand next to him, also staring into the blackness. Ron hesitantly asked, "Is there someone else? Someone you would like to kiss?"

"Yes."

"Oh," Ron said defeatedly. "Who would that be?"

"Why do you want to know Ron?"

"I'm not gonna kill him or anything. Not unless he hurts you. I'm just curious about what type of bloke you like."

"Oh. Is that the only reason?"

"No."

"What else?"

"Nothing really."

Hermione reached for Ron's hand, and turned him to look at her. "Ron, what else?"

There was something about the urgency in her tone and the sparkle in her eyes that gave Ron the courage he needed.

"I was wondering… I know I'm stupid, and you're so smart and beautiful you could have anyone."

"You're not stupid, Ron, you're wonderful."

"Oh…thanks…I was wondering…if you wouldn't mind kissing me?"

"I don't think I'd mind that."

"Really?"

"Really." Hermione said, breathlessly while stepping closer to Ron.

"You mean, like now?" Ron gulped.

"No time like the present."

"Ok." Ron couldn't help thinking that he was less terrified at the battle at the Department of Mysteries than he was at this moment. Luckily, Hermione didn't seem as nervous; she gently wrapped her hand around Ron's neck and tugged him down to her level. Ron was just growing accustomed to the shocks traveling down his spine from her touch, when he felt the warmth of her lips on his. Suddenly everything was perfect; her lips molded themselves to his as if they were made for one another. Ron's hands went to her face, one stroking her cheek gently, the other entwining itself in her hair; that beautiful hair that he had spent endless hours staring at, counting the curls, wondering how she ever got a comb through it. Instinct took over for Ron; he had to know how she tasted. He ran his tongue over her lips and was pleasantly surprised when they parted for him. His tongue danced playfully with hers as he explored her mouth. He reveled in the taste of her, and the smell of her, and the feel of her.

"Merlin, Hermione, you taste like Chocolate Frogs, that's brilliant," he said, once he no choice but to come up for air. "Happy Birthday Hermione. Does this mean that perhaps I'm forgiven?"

"Yes. For the moment," she said snuggling into his arms burying her nose in his neck.

"Good, then. I take it back. You're not allowed to kiss anyone you want anymore. Only me from now on. Ok?"

"You're the only one I want to kiss, Ron. So, that's fine with me."

"Brilliant," Ron smiled, as his lips caught hers once again.

The next morning, Harry and Ginny were following Ron and Hermione by about fifteen paces as they were all walking to breakfast. They were close enough to keep an eye on them, but far enough away so that Ron and Hermione couldn't hear the running commentary that was being created to entertain themselves.

"This'll be worse than I ever imagined," Harry groaned. "They're going to be one of those googley-eyed couples, that can't keep their hands to themselves and makes everyone around them want to vomit."

"Did Ron say anything about what happened last night?"

"No. He came back really late. When I asked him how it went, he just gave me a grin that was quite scary. I think I'm better off not knowing what those two got up to."

"Harry! Did you just see that? He touched her bum! He's gotten quite cheeky overnight, hadn't he?"

"Literally!" Harry laughed. "Gin, you coming to DA tonight?"

"Course."

"Would you come early, help me set-up?"

"Ok. Harry, did you see Draco at all yesterday?"

"No. He wasn't in any of the classes we have together."

"Do you think he's alright?"

"I really don't care, Gin."

"He's not that bad, you know. Actually, I think you two are a lot alike."

"Take that back! You don't need to get mean!"

"Oh bugger! Now she's touching his bum. You're right Harry, this is going to be ugly."

That evening Ginny had finished dining in the Great Hall. Draco hadn't come to dinner, she hadn't seen him since Monday evening; she hoped that he was alright.

Ginny and Harry getting up to leave to go prepare for the first DA meeting when they heard.

"Weasley!" a voice called after her.

Ginny turned to see Parkinson, Millie and the usual crew of stroppy cows flagging her down. _Oh Gods! Dealing with them is the last thing I need today!_ The Slytherin girls had not bothered Ginny at all this term, Ginny suspected it was due to Draco's influence, however they certainly hadn't deigned to address her directly either.

"Hi," Ginny said giving them a cautious smile. "Draco's not at dinner, is he alright?"

"I don't think so. We don't know. He won't come out of the dormitory. He's been in there for two days. He won't talk to anyone, not even me. I thought maybe you'd have more luck with him. Would you try?"

Ginny's stance softened immediately; she knew it wasn't easy for Pansy to ask for her help.

"Sure, I'll try," Ginny agreed.

Pansy smiled wanly. "The password's Jelly Slugs. I'll keep the other blokes away for a little while."

Millie and the other girls were busy building Draco a huge plate of roast beef and potatoes. "Here," Millie said, "bring this to him as well, and this chocolate cake. Chocolate usually does wonders with Draco."

"I'll give it to him. Harry, I'll have to skip DA tonight. I'm sorry."

Harry's expression was unreadable as he replied, "That's alright, Gin. I'll get Ron to help, see you later then." Harry immediately turned and left.

Ginny nodded to Pansy and began to make her way to leave, when Pansy grabbed her arm.

"Weasley wait." Ginny stopped, and turned back. Pansy seemed unsure of what she wanted to say and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "He's a spoilt, arrogant pain in the arse, and a prize bastard quite often. I'm sure he's only shown you the tip of it. But, he's worth it. I just thought you should know that." With that said, Pansy returned to her friends at the Slytherin table.

Ginny made her way to the Slytherin dungeon. She knocked lightly on the door of the boy's dormitory and proceeded in without waiting for a response.

"Pans, I told you to leave me alone," a pissy voice snarled from the corner.

"She heard you," Ginny said as she entered the room.

"Ginny."

Draco jumped off his bed and quickly put his pajama top on; he'd been wearing only the bottoms hanging very low around his hips. Ginny found herself rendered quite speechless at the site of his pale, well defined chest and abdomen.

"Weasley, you should go, I'm really not in the mood to be _nice_." He spat the word as though it pained him.

"Good," Ginny said, "I was wondering when I'd meet the real you."

Ginny handed him the plates of food she was carrying. "Millie and the stroppy cows sent this; they're an alright lot, I guess."

"Hmm." Draco took the plates and Ginny smirked when he settled back onto his bed and began to eat the chocolate cake. "Yeah, they're alright."

"They like you. I always thought girls fawned all over you because of your money, but I guess you must have some other charms."

Draco raised one eyebrow, and Ginny thought she saw the spark of a Draco witticism on the tip of his tongue, but then it was gone and the dark glower returned to his face.

"Your theory will be tested soon enough," he said darkly.

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing," he paused for a moment, "I like girls. Girls are easy."

It was Ginny's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Not like that," Draco grinned slightly, "with a bloke, it's always about power and status; about getting it and keeping it. It's generally not like that with a girl, it's easier."

"It doesn't have to be like that with a bloke either. You don't always have to be alpha dog Draco."

Draco looked at her as though she had sprouted a second head; the glare in his eyes was positively chilling. Draco spoke very slowly. "Yes. I do. If you don't understand that, you don't understand me at all. Go away, Weasley," he said harshly.

"No." Ginny removed her school robe and shoes and got onto the bed with Draco, she plumped a pillow and made herself comfortable sitting against the headrest, and then she helped herself to a fingerful of frosting."

"Don't touch the chocolate!" he snarled, while slapping her hand away.

Ginny giggled. "Just three days ago, you were holding my hand, and looking at me like you wanted to kiss me. Now, I'm Weasley again, and you won't even share your sweets."

"I don't share. I won't share my chocolate and I won't share my girl."

"What does that mean? Is this about Harry again?"

"Doesn't matter," he pouted

"You are such a bloody brat! Will you talk to me?"

"No! I thought I'd made it clear that I wouldn't, when I told you to go away, twice.

"Fine!" Ginny huffed, but she didn't get up, she just proceeded to lay down turning her back to him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for you to grow up! Git! I won't leave until you talk to me."

Draco laughed outright. "You think that's a threat? I'd gladly never speak to you again if it meant you'd live in my bed!"

"Spoilt Ferret!" she grumbled.

"Fine, have it your way." Draco finished his chocolate cake and started eating his dinner. He kept eyeing Ginny, who didn't move and didn't say a word. When Draco had finished his dinner, he turned to lie on his side, watching Ginny's back. The way her bright hair fanned over his pillow made him ache inside, causing him long to touch it. He'd never told her, but he thought her garish Weasley red hair was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen; it looked much better on her than it did on her brothers. She wasn't his, and truth be told, he wasn't hers; that didn't stop him from wanting her. He couldn't resist her; he was helpless.

"Ginny, this is silly." Draco finally couldn't stand the silence any longer. He reached out touched her back gently, and then he allowed his hand to explore the curves of her waist and hip. "Alright, you win. Ginny, look at me, please." Ginny rolled over to face him, but still remained silent. Draco was silent for a long while, looking at her, stroking her hair. "I've lost everything, and I have to get it back."

"What do you mean?"

"My father failed in the thing that he's always said was most important. He's always said that our first priority was to protect the Malfoy estate and name, and I've always agreed with him, I still do. But he let his loyalties distract him."

Draco continued, "I had been so sure he'd escape. I wanted him to escape. He had his chance, and he didn't, and now everything will be lost. He'll go on trial, and be convicted.

Do you know what happens to convicted Death Eaters? Their property is confiscated by the Ministry, broken-up and sold to the highest bidder."

"Oh, I didn't realize," Ginny whispered.

"You won't believe me, but it's not about being rich or poor. It's about preserving what's been ours and in our family for over one thousand years. I've been lying here trying to figure out a way to get everything back. I can only think of one."

"Draco, are you telling me that you think by becoming a Death Eater, and helping Voldemort rise, you'll somehow save your heritage?"

"It's the only way to protect what's ours."

"No! You can't! It's suicide. He won't win Draco, you have to believe me. I'm positive that he won't win. You just have to find another way."

"This has something to do with Potter doesn't it? And why you're researching Carina de Florette."

Ginny didn't answer him, but he was positive that he was right.

"I could kill Potter first, I suppose, that would please the Dark Lord, and neaten things up for me quite nicely."

Ginny looked at him sternly, but snuggled in closer to him. "You don't mean that, if you did you certainly wouldn't tell me about it. You're not a murderer, Draco. You're not your father."

"I can dream, can't I?" Draco chuckled softly. Suddenly he pulled away slightly, to look Ginny in the eyes. "You're so sure I won't kill Potter, does that mean you trust me?" he asked cautiously.

"I think I'm beginning to," Ginny whispered, silently hoping that she'd never regret her words.

Draco smiled while wrapping his arms around Ginny, pulling her close to him. Somehow, just having Ginny there, had released a knot of tension within him and he soon fell asleep, Ginny finging her own sleep not long afterward.

Snuggled tightly together, sound asleep, was how the sixth year Slytherin boys found Draco and Ginny a short time later. Draco had his arms wrapped around Ginny as though she was his life-raft and maybe she was. They chuckled as they gathered around Draco's bed, looking down at them, trying to determine how to best take advantage of the situation.

"Come on blokes, leave them be. We'll have our chance for fun in the morning," Blaise whispered, chuckling.

"If I had something like that in my bed, I'd be hanging on for dear life, too!" Goyle grumbled.

Ginny woke slowly, she was warm and comfortable, but she wasn't in her own bed. She felt Draco's arm wrapped around her tightly and his warm breath on the back of her neck as he spooned up against her. Draco's hand had found its way under her blouse and was resting over her breast while he slept. Ginny rolled gently onto her back, Draco's body adjusted immediately without waking. He released her so she could move, then he repositioned himself against her; his leg resting over her hips, his face nestling back into her neck, and that wayward hand moving back to her breast. Ginny chuckled silently. _Draco Malfoy is a cuddler and a breast man. Who knew?_

Ginny watched Draco, he looked so peaceful and innocent as he slept; when he didn't control every emotion, and you couldn't see the gears turning in his head, behind his eyes. _Gods I want him to kiss me_. Ginny gently caressed his face, running her fingers over his forehead and the bridge of his nose down to his lips, oddly full lips for a boy. Draco's eyes popped open.

"Ginny," he said as though he was surprised to see her. His mouth twitched into a soft smile as he rubbed his nose against Ginny's. "I've had dreams like this," he whispered.

"What happens next in your dreams?" Ginny whispered back.

"Mostly, I get kicked in the balls and Bat-Bogeyed," he chuckled, "but sometimes….sometimes…" Draco's lips were on Ginny's, and Ginny welcomed them. Draco immediately intensified the kiss eliciting a soft moan from Ginny.

"Shhh, we're not alone." Draco had finally noticed that it was quite late; his dorm mates had all returned and were in their own beds, he doubted that they were sleeping. _Damn, they're gonna take the mickey out of me for this! _

"If you don't want me to moan you're going to have to stop making those little circles on my breast." Ginny giggled softly. Draco realized where his hand was and removed it, with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Sorry."

"I wasn't complaining."

"I need to get you back to your tower, princess."

Draco threw a school robe over his pajamas and helped Ginny gather her belongs and they quietly slipped from the dormitory. As they exited there was the unmistakable sound of chuckling, kissing sounds and several high-pitched moans of 'Oh Draco!' emanating from the room.

"Sorry 'bout that," Draco said not bothering to hide his amusement. Ginny just snickered.

Once they'd arrived in the deserted Slytherin common room Draco stopped and pulled Ginny to him.

"Time to do this properly," he said as his lips descended onto hers again. Draco's kiss was hard and demanding, Ginny gave back everything that Draco's lips and tongue were asking of her. Ginny had never felt a kiss so intensely, even when she kissed Harry, her feelings for him were bound so tightly they were repressed. Ginny's feelings for Draco were new and completely unencumbered; they were free to flow through every cell of her body, every cell in her body crying for more.

Draco demanded more and Ginny gave it, then Draco would intensify again; it was endless. Ginny realized that this wasn't just a kiss to Draco, it was a battle; the goal of the battle was to purge from Ginny's mind every other kiss she'd ever received. Damn if it wasn't working. Ginny finally had to pull away with a whimper or risk losing consciousness; fainting at Draco Malfoy's kiss would be too embarrassing to bear, the bastard was smug enough as it was.

"What's the matter Weasley? Never been kissed before?" he taunted lightly with the expected smirk across his face.

"Not as though I was about to be eaten alive, no," she said breathlessly.

"You'll get used to it," he teased, as his lips captured her again, this time tenderly as he explored her jaw line and neck.

The journey back to the Gryffindor common room was a long and happy one as they paused to snog in every secluded alcove they found along the way.

"Ginny….Ginny….wait a minute," Draco said as he pried Ginny's mouth from his neck reluctantly.

"Ohhhhh," Ginny protested, "what's wrong?"

"Before this goes any further we have to admit it to each other."

"Admit what?" Ginny said as she moved back in to nuzzle his bare chest; she had already unfastened his robes and pajama top in previous snog stops. The feeling of Ginny's mouth on his bare nipple was driving him beyond distraction. Draco braced both hands on Ginny's shoulders and pried her away again.

"Admit that we both have unfinished business elsewhere. This could be….."

"complicated," Ginny finished for him. "We like complicated," Ginny said as she shook free of his hands and attacked his chest again.

"Woman, have you no self control?" Draco yelped desperately as his own self control weakened by the second.

"You'll get used to it," Ginny teased as she worked her way up Draco's chest to his neck, while further tormenting him by grinding her hips into his. No one had ever ignited this level of lust in Ginny and she wasn't willing to let it go until she had explored this new feeling further. "Tomorrow…I'll admit anything you want tomorrow, as long as you shut it and kiss me now."

"Ok," Draco gave in to the inevitable.

Once they finally arrived at the portrait of the fat lady Draco gave Ginny one last deep kiss.

"Good night, Ginny," he whispered.

"No, no, no, come inside, just for a few minutes," Ginny pleaded.

Draco chuckled. _I've created a monster!_ "Ginny, we can't. We'll be caught. I'm surprised we haven't already been caught."

Ginny's eyes darkened at the threat of not getting what she wanted. "Are you afraid, Malfoy? Are you afraid of what Ron would do if he caught you?" It was cruel, she knew that, but a girl must do, what girl must do.

"Certainly not!"

Ginny had opened the portrait hole and was backing through it very slowly with a wicked grin. "Then I dare you to snog me in enemy territory."

Draco began stalking towards her, through the portrait hole, with a feral gleam in his eyes. "Young lady, have you no idea who you're toying with?"

"No, I don't. I think you'll have to show me." Ginny turned and ran just as Draco pounced, Draco ran after her and grabbed her easily, and Ginny squealed, forcing Draco to cover her mouth,or else bring all of Gryffindor down on their heads.

"Shhh! Are you trying to get me killed?" Draco hissed as he picked Ginny up and deposited her unceremoniously on the sofa, squelching her giggles with a burning kiss.

Ginny immediately laid back pulling Draco down with her, her hands exploring freely over him. It wasn't until Ginny felt Draco's mouth and hands on her bare breasts that she realized that he had unbuttoned her blouse and somehow removed her bra! _Oh My! He just ripped my bra right off of me! How'd he do that? _

"Oh Draco!" Ginny said in surprise.

"That should teach you not to taunt a Malfoy, young lady," Draco said, then his attention returned to Ginny's breasts gently nipping and tugging; making Ginny purr with pleasure.

"On the contrary, I think I'll be taunting a Malfoy far more often. Oh Draco, more of that, please!"

"Mr. Malfoy! Stop this instant!" Professor McGonagall's voice boomed above them.

Draco froze. Ginny froze. Ginny's breast was released from Draco's mouth with a soft pop. They both turned their heads slowly to see the enraged Head of Gryffindor House in her night clothes standing over them.

"Mr. Malfoy, get off of Miss Weasley. Now!"

Draco rose slowly; giving Ginny time to cover herself and giving himself time to hide the obvious signs of his arousal.

"Good evening, Professor," he said casually, as though he were passing her in the corridor.

"There will be lengthy and unpleasant detentions in this for both of you. Separate detentions. Your parents will be notified. We'll talk about it further in the morning, 8am in Professor Snape's office. Is that clear?"

"Yes professor," they said in unison.

"Miss Weasley, go to bed immediately. And Mr. Malfoy, I strongly suggest that you return to your own house immediately."

'Night Gin." Draco caught Ginny in one last kiss.

"Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall shrieked.

"'Night Draco." Ginny watched as Draco calmly left Gryffindor House.

"Miss Weasley, bed!"

Professor McGonagall's lips twitched involuntarily as she returned to her quarters. _A Weasley and a Malfoy, interesting._

Early the next morning, Ginny stretched in bed as she was awakening, she felt wonderful.

Then she remembered why; she remembered kissing Draco. She remembered the way he made her feel. She remembered taunting and teasing him. She remembered nearly mauling him! She remembered being completely out of control! She remembered having no intention of stopping him, or letting him stop! She remembered that if Professor McGonagall hadn't stopped them she would have…she would have…she would have insisted on it! "Oh No! I'm a shlag!"

**Authors Notes:**

Thank you, Blondhunter for the edit! Lord knows I need it!

Yay! Exciting news! We have a Fan artist who has begun work illustrating this story.

Her name is nikotuesday.

She has begun posting pictures at:

www (dot)side7(dot)com/cgi-bin/S7SDB/Display(dot)pl?actgalleryaid16948

Go check out the drawings and tell her which scenes you'd like illustrated. She's taking requests. Weee!

I couldn't have written about the Death Eaters escaping Azkaban without help from the HP-Lexicon. We really don't pay those folks enough. I certainly have no clue what happened in the DoM in OOTP.

I'd like also like to thank Cloz for reinventing the word slag for me, she prefers to say shlag, and I like it better too. She's British, she's a teenager, that's makes her expert enough for me!

It's time for me to give the most important credit of this piece. In Annibug's wonderful story _Send Fudge_, Draco has a line "I don't share". That innocent little line stuck with me, made me think "What would happen if Draco were forced to share? With Harry. How badly would he muck up? Could he get over it?" That's how my little obsession was born. If you haven't read _Send Fudge_ do so, it's the best D/G I've ever read.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Fallout

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 11: Fallout **

Ginny's mother had warned her countless times, and she hated it when her Mum was right!

She'd told Ginny that someday she'd meet a boy who would have this fierce effect on her; causing her to lose control completely.

Her Mum had told her to remember several things when this happened. Ginny now wished she'd been listening more closely.

First, there was something about never trusting a boy's self-control; that boys were just randy animals who never had any self-control to lose in the first place.

Then, her mum warned her about a certain type of randy animal who was interested only in the chase and the conquest. She was to avoid these types at all costs, as these beasts would surely lose interest once they'd won the game and would most certainly think less of her for it.

Thirdly, she wasn't to mistake these feelings for love, and she was never to believe it, when a randy animal told her he loved her during these moments. These particularly randy animals would say anything to further their goals.

Finally, her Mum told her to be true to herself. She was to make her decisions as rationally as possible, based on her genuine feelings for the boy. Her mum had stopped using the term randy animal, by this point, but added that these were some of the most important decisions of her young life. She'd have to make some very tough adult decisions and one poor choice could alter her life permanently.

She then equipped her daughter with a small arsenal of contraceptive charms and told her to use them liberally whenever within kissing distance of said randy boy. Even when 'nothing' was going to happen, she was to use the charms. 'You never know when an extra frisky swimmer will get lucky and find its target. You are a Weasley after all, and precautions must be taken.' Ginny didn't entirely understand this last point, but nodded her agreement.

Ginny had forgotten all of her mothers' warnings last night with Draco; she'd turned into nothing more than a randy animal herself and was ashamed.

She had to skip her morning fly with Harry because of her lack of self control. This is why she found herself now walking slowly to the Slytherin Head of House's office, her head swimming in self-doubt and self-flagellation.

She was sure that Draco thought her a common tart now. The last thing she wanted to do was face him in Professor Snape's office; that's a humiliation she could do without. Surely, they would be laughing at her.

She'd worked herself to the verge of tears as she entered Snape's office on the stroke of eight. Professors Snape and McGonagall were both there already, and judging by the scowl on Snape's face, Professor McGonagall had already filled him in on the events of several hours ago.

"Sit, Miss Weasley," Professor Snape growled, indicating a nearby chair.

Ginny sat, hands folded, ankles crossed, eyes cast downward, and chin quivering.

The sound of hand-made, highly polished Italian shoes, running down the corridor suddenly filled Snape's office. Then the sound of those shoes almost sliding past the door as Draco entered, calmly and smoothly.

"Morning," he said brightly, plopping himself casually into the chair next to Ginny.

"Hi, Gin," he whispered, brushing Ginny's arm lightly with his elbow.

"Gin, what's wrong?" he continued, when he noticed her demeanor. She didn't answer Draco, or look at him.

"What'd you do to her?" he snarled at the Professors.

"Silence, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape boomed.

"It seems that it's you who've been doing things to Miss Weasley that you shouldn't."

Draco rolled his eyes nonchalantly as Professor Snape launched into his well rehearsed tirade; outlining the schools policies on fraternization and curfews, and indicating in no uncertain terms that Draco and Ginny had shattered most of the aforementioned rules. Just as it seemed that Professor Snape was running out of steam, Professor McGonagall would take up his slack and continue; they seemed to be a well practiced team at this.

Eventually they were dismissed with one month of detention each, to be served at the discretion of their respective Head of House. The second that Professor Snape dismissed them, Ginny burst from her chair and ran from the room. Professor McGonagall nodded to Professor Snape and exited as well. Draco, surprised by Ginny's swift and sudden departure moved to follow her.

"Mr. Malfoy," Snape snapped, "A minute more please."

"Can't you see she's upset?"

"Mr. Malfoy, sit!"

Draco sat indignantly and glared at the professor.

"Mr. Malfoy, what were you thinking?"

Draco smirked and cocked an eyebrow.

"I think I was snogging a pretty girl. You should try it some time."

"Enough! Your father…"

"My father," Draco exploded over the Professor, "is in no position to have an opinion either way. The day my father chose his Dark Lord over his obligation to his family name, is the day any obligation I had to him ended!"

"You should have more faith in your father than that, Draco," the professor said quietly.

A few seconds passed then Snape continued, "Fine, if you don't care about your father's opinion, what about your mother? Narcissa Malfoy would never approve of a Weasley."

"My mother is desperate to believe that she has saved me from the path to darkness that my father set me on. I'm quite certain that she would read my interest in a Weasley as a successful implementation of that plan, and an indication of my shift in loyalties."

"And have your loyalties shifted?"

"My loyalties are the same as they've always been. Pity no one's ever bothered to ask me before now. May I go now, sir?"

"Go for now, but this conversation isn't over."

As Ginny ran from Professor Snape's office, with one thought on her mind. Harry - she needed Harry. She found him at breakfast and the instant he spotted her at the door he knew something was wrong, causing him to quickly escort her out again.

Once through the door she dissolved into the fit of tears that she'd been holding back for so long. She crumbled into Harry's arms.

"Ginny, what's wrong? Is someone hurt or sick?"

Ginny managed to shake he her head, Harry held her tightly as he spoke soothingly in her ear. "Come on, Gin, buck up. You know tears aren't a good look for you; makes you look like a big tomato."

Ginny dissolved further into her despair and Harry was close to panic now. "Ginny," he begged, "please tell me what happened."

"Dra….Dra… Dra…Draaaco," she sniffled, and then burst into a new fit of tears. Harry tried to ignore the fact that she'd just wiped her nose on his shoulder and carried on.

"What did Draco do?" he asked tentatively.

"Ki…Ki…Kissed meeee!"

Harry's mind immediately went to the worst case scenario for this situation, as a sudden fury rose in him like he'd never felt before.

Just then, Draco came into view, running down the corridor, in search of Ginny. Only Harry spotted Draco, as Ginny was still crying into Harry's shoulder. Harry glared at Draco, but motioned for him to come forward quietly. Harry fully intended to beat him senseless as soon as he was near.

"Ginny, you have to tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?" Harry's voice quivered with rage, he never broke eye contact with Draco.

"No." Ginny said quickly. "It was meeee, I… was… horr…ible! He thinks I'm a shlaaaaag! And I am!"

Draco was shaking his head vehemently, his eyes wide, looking utterly confused.

Harry's rage abated, as he began to piece together what had happened, and he would have found it amusing if it weren't for that sharp pain in his side, impairing his breathing.

It was in that very moment Harry knew he would do anything for Ginny. That he cared for her and her happiness more than he did his own.

Every instinct Harry had, and every voice in his head screamed for him to glare Malfoy off, to take Ginny away, to say, to do anything he had to, to make her his; even for the wrong reason. But then Harry looked at Ginny again, and it didn't take a Legilimens to figure it out. At that moment Ginny wanted Draco, even if she didn't realize it herself.

Harry carefully peeled Ginny off of him.

"Ginny, look at me," he raised her chin with his index finger, until he saw her blood-shot, puffy eyes. "I can't help you," he admitted quietly.

"No?"

"No, it's not me you need to talk to." As Harry spoke he gently turned Ginny to face Draco.

As Harry walked away, he punched Draco on the arm, taking great care to hit the exact spot that he had bruised three days earlier.

"Don't fuck up," Harry growled, while walking away, already regretting his decision.

It was a decision Harry would come to regret many, many times, in the coming years. Harry disappeared and didn't attend any of his classes that day.

"Ginny? Are you alright?" Draco asked cautiously, still rubbing his arm.

Ginny nodded, not looking at Draco.

"What's the matter?"

Ginny shrugged. He handed her a handkerchief and she took it gratefully.

"Do you regret it? He asked cautiously. Do you regret last night?"

Ginny looked at him, and shook her head.

"Good, I don't either. I'm sorry if I went too far."

"It's not that," Ginny admitted quietly, finally beginning to get her emotions under control. Draco didn't seem to think ill of her at all. "It's nothing you did."

"What is it then?"

Ginny looked down at the floor. "I don't know…, I've never felt…, Nobody's ever…" Ginny huffed in frustration, because she couldn't get the words out. She took a deep breath. "It scared me. I wanted more. I've never felt like that before. I'm not ready for that."

Inside, Draco melted in relief, and he felt his knees go weak. Outside, he looked as cool as ever, cocking an eyebrow he leaned in over her and whispered. "Are you saying you find me irresistible, Weasley?"

Ginny laughed for the first time that day.

"Nothing I can't get over, I'm sure."

"Come here." Draco pulled Ginny into a nearby alcove, out of plain site. Draco leaned against the wall and pulled Ginny in, to lean lightly against him. Resting his hands on her hips he let his thumbs make small circles there.

"Ginny, nothing more would've happened last night."

Ginny furrowed her brow. "But I wouldn't have stopped," she admitted reluctantly.

"It takes two, Weasley," Draco chuckled lightly. "I wasn't about to ravish you in the middle of the Gryffindor common room; I'm adventuresome, not suicidal."

"Oh." Ginny looked up into in his silver eyes, and suddenly all she could think about was how much she wanted to kiss him again.

Draco smirked, chuckled a bit, and then stood straight, to put some distance between them.

"Ginny, you made me a promise last night."

"Hmm?" Ginny racked her brain till she remembered.

"Oh. You want me to tell you about Harry and me."

"And you want to know about Parkinson."

"I don't think I want to know about you and Pansy, quite honestly," Ginny lied, trying to avoid talking about Harry. "Draco, why did you kiss me?"

"Are you kidding?" he grinned wickedly at her, stepping close to her again instantly wrapping his arms around to pull her in as tightly as possible.

"You said we wouldn't work." Ginny sighed, as she nuzzled her nose into his neck.

"We won't. Are you sniffing me again, Weasley?"

"Mmmm. You smell lovely. Might be the main thing I like about you. If we won't work, then, why did you kiss me?"

"I kissed you because I couldn't not kiss you; simple as that." Draco's lips were on hers, barely touching her, his lips tugging hers, teasing hers but not quite kissing hers.

Ginny's lips chased Draco's looking for a proper kiss, until she whimpered in frustration.

Draco chuckled, "Tell me you find me irresistible, Weasley", he teased mercilessly.

"Shut up, and kiss me you git," she whined desperately.

"That's close enough." Draco gave her the kiss she'd been looking for and a bit more.

Ginny heard her mother's voice in her head telling her that she should be maintaining some semblance of control, but Ginny had just noticed that Draco tasted as good as he smelled.

Again her mother's voice echoed in her head warning her that she shouldn't be allowing Draco's hand to be doing what it was doing to her breast.

Ginny told her mother's voice to pipe down as she relaxed with a satisfied sigh, allowing Draco to have his way with her mouth.

"Mr. Malfoy," Professor Snape snarled.

"This will become both tiresome and nauseating very quickly. I suggest you both go to breakfast, and No, Miss Weasley, I don't believe that Mr. Malfoy's tongue down your throat constitutes a proper breakfast."

Draco pulled away from her with a growl.

They walked towards the Great Hall for breakfast; as Professor Snape followed them closely to ensure they didn't get distracted along the way.

"We still need to talk; you haven't gotten out of it with a snog," Draco whispered as they walked.

"Meet me after your last class today."

"I can't, I have Quidditch. After dinner?"

"I can't, I have detention," Draco huffed.

"There's always rounds tomorrow night," Ginny offered.

"That'll have to do."

They had arrived at Ginny's spot, near Ron and Hermione, at the Gryffindor table. Once Snape had had swept past them, to take his place at the teachers table, Draco surprised Ginny by pulling her to him and kissing her deeply.

"We're eating here!" Ron complained behind them.

There were several whoops from the Slytherins on the other side as several Gryffindors sneered.

"I guess we're not keeping this a secret then," Ginny said weakly as he stepped away from her.

"Wasn't planning on it, no," he drawled and then took his seat across from an amused looking Pansy and a murderous looking Astrid.

As Ginny took her seat she knew that she had a pathetically goofy grin plastered on her face. Not even the glares from Ron and his overly dramatic nausea could roust her from her stupor.

Ginny's reverie was finally shattered when the morning post owls swooped over them leaving the three of them with a very official looking envelope.

"What's this?" Ginny wondered aloud.

"It's got the Ministry seal on it," Hermione observed as she tore hers open.

"It's a summons to appear before The Wizengamot, as a witness against Lucius Malfoy. They've set his trial date for three weeks from today. They seem to be in a hurry to get him convicted."

"There you go Gin," Ron taunted smugly. "You're going to be a star witness to put your new boyfriend's father away for good. That should damper things quite nicely."

"Ron! Quiet!" Hermione scolded. "Ginny, where's Harry?"

"I don't know, he left," Ginny said vaguely. She sat staring at the letter in front of her, wondering what Draco's reaction would be. He was right, this relationship would be impossible.

Harry reappeared that afternoon in time for Quidditch practice. He was in a perfectly pleasant mood and completely unwilling to divulge where he'd been all day.

Hermione scolded him for skipping his classes. He just shrugged and told her it couldn't be helped. Apparently the Post Owl had found his hiding place because he knew of the summons when he reappeared.

As the team was leaving the Quidditch pitch for dinner, Ginny tugged the back of Harry's robes to slow him down so the two of them could fall back a distance from the rest of the team.

"I wanted to thank you for this morning, Harry."

"You're welcome Gin. Are you alright now?" Harry tone was warm, but he kept walking and he avoided looking at her.

"Yes. You were right; it was Draco I needed to talk to. I was just scared because I got a little…"

"Gin," Harry interrupted a little too harshly, "I don't want the details. Please. I just want to know that you're alright."

"I'm fine, Harry." Ginny sounded a bit hurt.

"I'm sorry, Gin. He's just not my favorite person, especially for you."

Harry stopped suddenly and spun around to meet her. "Ginny, are you sure about him? Are you sure he's not dangerous? That he's not playing some evil game with you?"

Harry's eyes glowed with something new, she saw the concern, the fear, and the genuine love that was always there in his eyes, but there was something else. Ginny felt a stirring inside her, it was powerful and painful, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

Ginny shook herself out of the grip of Harry's intense gaze.

"Yes, Harry, I'm sure Draco's not trying to hurt me."

"Ok," Harry said mildly, and began walking again.

"Harry, do you want to do something after diner? Exploding snaps?"

"Can't, Gin. I have a date."

"Who with tonight?"

"Daphne."

"Really? You've been seeing a lot of her."

"Yeah, I like her. I think I'll be seeing more of her."

"Why her?" Ginny asked casually.

Harry shrugged. "She's funny and easy to talk to. She's very snoggable. She doesn't take life seriously, that's nice. It's just easy to be with her."

"I've heard that myself," Ginny grumbled under her breath, feeling suddenly ill at ease.

That evening Ginny found herself on her own. Harry was off with Daphne, and Hermione had roped Ron into studying. She wasn't in a mood to hunt down some of her other friends. So Ginny took a long bath in the Prefects bathroom, and then retired to bed with a book.

Just as she was about to doze off, she heard a noise and looked around. She heard it again, 'Tap, Tap, Tap'; there was an owl at the window.

"Hello Dezzy," she said as she opened the window for Draco's elegant eagle owl, Desdemona. She flew in with a box attached to her leg.

"What have you got there girl?" Ginny relieved Dezzy of her burden and offered her a snack. Dezzy turned her beak away from the owl treat and flew off.

"Excuse me! Merlin only knows what's good enough for a Malfoy owl," she chuckled.

"Draco probably has a box of chocolate covered mice or something."

The box in her hands was labeled:

_Ginny Weasley_

_Alone in her Bedchamber_

"Hmm. Draco, what are you up to?" Ginny grinned, and took the box back to her bed. The box was wrapped in silver parchment with a green bow.

The enclosed card read:

_G,_

_These are to replace what I so ruthlessly_

_destroyed last night. I'm sorry about that, _

_but a point had to be made. I'd like to add _

_that these are gifts to myself as much as to_

_you. I hope to see them again soon._

_D_

Ginny opened the box and gasped when she found the most exquisite lingerie she'd ever seen in her life. Not the serviceable white cotton that she was accustomed to, but the highest quality, hand-stitched satin. There were three sets of brassieres and matching knickers; one white, one deep sapphire blue, and one the obligatory Slytherin green.

"Gotta slip in that green, don't you Malfoy?" she chuckled, as she quickly tried on the green set.

"How in Merlin's name did you get my size perfectly? The boy had hidden talents apparently."

Ginny was thrilled; she never had anything so delicate and beautiful touching her body before. She fell asleep that night thinking about the implied promise in Draco card. She imagined Draco's eyes when he saw his gift again. She let her hands travel over her body as she imagined Draco's hands traveling over her and his mouth exploring her everywhere. Ginny slept very well that night.

Ginny struggled through her Friday with difficulty; it seemed to take an eternity to pass. Ginny wasn't sure if she was dreading her rounds with Draco, or looking forward to them. She knew she had to tell him about the summons, she didn't know what he would say.

She also knew he would ask about Harry, and on that topic she really didn't know what she would say.

She knew that he would probably kiss her again causing her to think about how she couldn't control herself. Worst of all she didn't think she wanted to control herself. Overall, Ginny was quite the muddle.

As usual Draco met her at the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Hello, young lady." Draco held his hand out to her, and she took it as they started down the stairs.

"Hi," she said bashfully.

"Usual route?"

"Oh! No. Can we avoid the Astronomy Tower tonight?"

Draco looked at her warily. "I suppose. Why?"

"Nothing, I'd like to try another route. That's all," she said nonchalantly.

"What's this about, Weasley?" Draco demanded as only a Malfoy could.

"Alright! Ron took Hermione up there tonight. That's something I'd rather not see. And don't give me any crap about allowing family special favors!"

"Are you kidding? I'd guard the door myself; if it meant those two are finally getting on with it! We'll skip the Astronomy Tower and go to the Greenhouses instead."

"Nobody snogs in the Greenhouses."

"That's where I would go." Draco flashed the sinister Malfoy smirk that she'd grown to love so well.

"Before I forget," she said, needing a change of subject, "Ron wants to play chess on Sunday, if you can manage to behave yourself."

"Me behave? I'll behave as well as that git does. Yeah. I'll be there," he said grudgingly.

"Harry's right about you two," Ginny laughed.

"You're a couple of chess sluts. You hate each other, but you'd do anything for a good game."

"Whatever, Weasley."

They'd reached the base of the tower stairs when Ginny stopped and let go of Draco's hand.

"Draco, there's something I have to tell you that you won't like," she began slowly.

Draco stiffened and turned to her with a neutral expression.

"I received a summons, to appear at your father's trial, we all did; the six of us who were at the Department of Mysteries."

Draco looked surprised, as though he'd been expecting to hear something else, but he recovered quickly. "Oh, yes I'd assumed you would be called."

"That's it? You're not upset? You're not going to ask me not to testify?"

"I believe I've mentioned this to you before Weasley, but what I want rarely enters into the equation of what actually happens. I know that you're going to testify, there's no way you wouldn't. You hate him too much not to. If I asked you not to testify, it would just end this friendship sooner. "

"Why are you so sure we're doomed?

"Tell me how you feel about Potter."

Ginny grimaced and closed her eyes, she knew this was coming, she had no idea how she would put into words things that she barely allowed herself to think. "Do you always ask questions you don't want the answers to?"

"I don't know. I am now, anyway."

"I don't know what you want me to tell you. Harry's my friend, but he's more than a friend too." Ginny paused, but she knew Draco expected more. "I love Harry… and not like a brother." Ginny grasped Draco's hands, to keep him from turning away from her; she placed his hands on her waist and looked up into his reluctant eyes. "You seem to think that I'm pining away for him, I'm not. In case you hadn't noticed, you daft git, lately, I've been pining away for you. What Harry and I have is very good the way it is."

"For now," Draco added, but he also seemed to relax a bit, running his hands over Ginny's sides.

"Yes, for now. I don't know what the future holds, and neither do you. It's your turn, what about Pansy?"

"Oh, we're just friends." Draco laughed as Ginny launched herself at him, fully intending to cause as much damage to his pretty face as possible, he restrained her easily.

"I swear Draco Malfoy, you are this close to having bogeys flying out your nose permanently," Ginny hissed at him with an intense sincerity that quelled his snickers quickly.

"Alright already! I don't remember a time when Pansy wasn't in my life; our mother's are good friends, and our father's have similar…political interests. But I've never thought of her as a sister; there was always something else there.

We've never dated one another officially, but we've…kind of… experimented. Then, last year, things started getting a bit more serious, we started doing things that friends really shouldn't be doing."

"Strip chess will do that," Ginny quipped grumpily.

"Yes it will," Draco chuckled. "Quickly."

"What happened? Why aren't you together?"

"I asked…last spring…she said no. She said she wanted to see other boy's. She'd never kissed anyone else and wanted to try it, apparently."

Ginny giggled. "Does she think she can find someone who's a better kisser? Good luck to her. That boy will be dangerous."

"Thank you," Draco snickered. "It may have had a little to do with what's happening with my father. Slytherins can be sensitive to shifts in power."

"That's terrible! She's supposed to be your friend."

"She is my friend, Ginny. I've never doubted her feelings for me, but it's more complicated than that."

"No it isn't! If she loved you, she wouldn't care, she'd be there."

"That's a Gryffindor talking, not a Slytherin. She is there for me Ginny, more than anyone else. She's just not my girlfriend."

"Am I?"

Draco smiled. "I think we need to give it a try. But Ginny, I need to ask you something."

"What?"

"When you have a problem with me, I need you to come to me, not…him; like you did yesterday."

Ginny nodded. "That sounds fair."

"It's quiet down here; I think we should go the Greenhouses now, check for snoggers there."

They climbed their way out of the dungeons and made their way toward the Greenhouses.

"Have you noticed we've become pathetically bad at our Prefect duties? We never find any snoggers anymore."

"I think we'll find a couple in the here," Draco said as he opened the greenhouse door.

"Ginny, I wrote my mother yesterday, I asked her to speak with yours. They seemed to get on well enough at Grimmauld Place."

"I don't understand."

"The professors are going to write to our parents, telling them about Wednesday. I'm trying to prevent one of your mothers famous Howlers."

A wide grin slowly crossed Ginny's face. "What did you tell your mother about me, Draco?"

Draco flushed a bit. "That's not important, I just hope it works."

Ginny bumped up against him, throwing him slightly off balance for a second. "What did you tell your mother about me, Draco?" she insisted.

"Nothing!"

"Did you tell her that your intensions are nothing but honorable?" she teased. "And that you're mad about me?"

"Shut-up, Weasley!"

"Thank you, Draco. That was a sweet thing to do; a very Gryffindor thing to do."

"Oh! Now that's going too far, witch!"

Ginny squealed as Draco grabbed her and pinned her against the greenhouse wall.

"That's the last time I save you from a compromising position," he whispered softly against her ear.

""Mmmm. Apparently it's not the last time you're going to put me in one though."

Draco chuckled as Ginny tried to subtly bury her nose in his neck and inhale. "Draco, there doesn't seem to be any snoggers in the greenhouses tonight."

"Not yet, no." Draco began to nip Ginny's ear, his hot breath sending chills to her core. He continued to explore her neck slowly, paying particular attention to the hollows of her pulse points. He would occasionally suck a bit of tender skin into his mouth, she was sure that he was leaving his mark on her which she didn't mind, she wanted more.

"Why are you so short, Weasley?" Draco suddenly stopped kissing her and looked about the room.

"Hmm?" Ginny was snapped out of the trance that he had put her in. "Genetics?" she growled testily.

"Come here." He dragged her toward the middle of the room.

"I already have a crick in my neck from Wednesday. Kissing you is going to make me old and stooped before my time," he grumbled as he lifted her up to sit on a garden workbench. He gave her a quick peck on the lips to measure that she was now at the perfect height to suit him.

"Excellent," he said as he moved in for another kiss.

Ginny stopped him, staring at him incredulously. "Are you sure you don't want to find a taller girl to snog? I wouldn't want you to compromise; you are a Malfoy after all."

Draco grinned at her evilly, while he loosened and removed her school tie.

"You have several other attributes that more than make up for your lack of stature."

"Yes," she said suspiciously, "two at least."

"Shush. No more talking," he said shortly. "Just kissing."

Ginny didn't know how he did it. His lips on her were like a potion, rendering her helpless and completely at his mercy.

Draco explored her painfully slowly. He opened her blouse one button at a time, lavishing attention on each bit of exposed skin, before moving to the next button. It seemed like a blissful eternity before he reached the last button. That's when Ginny heard his breath hitch as he removed her blouse and he caught his first full glimpse of the gift he'd given her. Ginny had worn the green one today.

"Thank you for my gifts," she said laboriously, words were not coming easily. She wanted only to feel his lips again.

"No. Thank you."

He allowed his hand to roam over the smooth satin for the first time. "Your skin's so pale and beautiful, you don't have freckles everywhere; I've wondered about that."

His mouth moved down to begin thoroughly mapping her stomach and ribcage.

"No, just the bits that get the sun," she said lazily. "I have lots of them on my back."

"Yeah?" he said with interest, peeking up from her stomach. "Let's see." Ginny laughed as he lifted her legs onto the table and spun her around to give him access to her back.

"Oh yes! Lots of work to do here," he hissed to himself as he threw her hair over her shoulder and attacked the back of her neck, all the while gently fingering her satin clad front.

As he progressed further down her back. He deemed that the brassiere was getting in his way so his fingers made quick work of the front closure and disposed of the offending garment.

"Well, I'll be damned," he muttered as he kissed a particular spot on her lower shoulder blade, he then ran his tongue softly upward, and then downward, and the upward again along her shoulder blade stopping briefly to kiss certain spots. He repeated the process several times, always in the same area.

"This spot is mine," he said with intensity harsh enough to rouse Ginny from her intoxicated state. "This spot is mine," he repeated, "never let anyone else kiss you here." It was a commandment, not a request.

"What's so interesting back there?" Draco didn't answer.

He spun her back around on the table and kissed her with an intensity she'd never experienced before. She was always in danger of passing out when this boy kissed her. He pulled her to the edge of the table and wrapped her legs around him, to get her as close as he could, kissing her deeply all the while.

As his kisses traveled down to her breasts, his stance shifted and Ginny suddenly felt the hardness in his trousers pressing against her. This jolted her back into reality.

"Draco!" she gasped, trying unsuccessfully to find the words for her protest.

Draco's brain functioned slightly quicker than Ginny's.

"Shhh, don't worry about that. Just this is enough." Then he returned his attentions to her breasts, he spent a long time mapping them just as carefully as he had done her freckles.

"You seem…rather fond of…of the girls." Ginny felt him smirk against her nipple.

"They might be the main thing I like about you."

"Hey!" she shrieked swatting him across the head.

"What?" he grinned up at her.

"You started it. You're the one with the unnatural attraction to my shaving potion! You shouldn't talk!"

"Come here." Ginny grabbed Draco by the tie and pulled him up onto the table with her, while kissing him thoroughly. "I'm feeling rather jealous of them; you're neglecting the rest of me."

"So sorry, I'll make it up to you."

Ginny had never truly understood what the term snogged senseless meant before this evening. But now, she had no doubts as to its meaning. When Draco stopped kissing her some time later, Ginny had no idea if ten minutes had passed or ten hours.

"It's an hour past our shift, Ginny. We've got to get back." Draco was tenderly dressing Ginny, kissing each bit of her as he covered her back up and buttoned her blouse.

"Draco, I think I like you." Ginny said groggily, pulling him back to her lips and kissing his smirk.

"I'm glad you don't do this with boys you don't like. You're not going to distract me, Weasley, we're going back. My self-control only goes so far."

"I'm glad one of us has some, "Ginny grumbled as Draco pulled her to her feet and pushed her towards the door.

They soon found themselves in a lustful good night kiss, before a disapproving Fat Lady. Ginny's pleas for Draco to come inside were being successfully, if regretfully, resisted.

"I don't want another month of detention, Ginny. One of us has to show some restraint, and you're making it clear it won't be you," Draco admonished affectionately.

"One more kiss then," she whined pitifully.

"Oh, if I must," Draco whined right back, and then kissed her until he felt her go limp in his arms.

"Excuse me, you're blocking the door."

Draco broke away at the sound of Harry's voice, setting Ginny back on her own feet.

"Good timing, Potter. I was in need of a rescue," Draco said earnestly, while backing away. "Good night, Ginny."

Ginny opened her mouth to protest, but was unwilling to beg for another kiss in front of Harry. "Alright! Good night, then."

"Library tomorrow?" Draco asked.

Ginny nodded and waved, and then went through the portrait hole that a rather nauseated looking Harry was holding open for her.

"Good to see our Prefects are taking their duties seriously," he said dryly as Ginny passed him.

"And I suppose you were out there studying, were you?"

"Of course."

**Authors Notes:**

Thank you, Blondhunter for the edit and the hand holding.

Thanks to Cloz for the moral support and CONSTANT nagging!

These 2 were it the last chapter, but are still relevant.

Exciting news! We have a Fan artist who has begun work illustrating this story.

Her name is nikotuesday.

She has begun posting pictures at:

www (dot)side7(dot)com/cgi-bin/S7SDB/Display(dot)pl?actgalleryaid16948

Go check out the drawings and tell her which scenes you'd like illustrated. She's taking requests. Weee!

I'd like also like to thank Cloz for reinventing the word slag for me, she prefers to say shlag, and I like it better too. She's British, she's a teenager, that's makes her expert enough for me!


	13. Chapter Twelve: Halloween

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 12: Halloween**

Ginny was miserable. It was Halloween, the first Hogsmeade visit of the term; she'd been looking forward to this day for weeks. She'd been planning to spend the day with Draco, but he was nowhere in sight.

Instead of roaming the romantic village hand-in-hand with her boyfriend, snogging in alleyways and sharing chocolate frogs, she was sitting in a booth in The Three Broomsticks with a gargantuan pout of her face. She was watching Ron and Hermione nauseatingly nuzzle, and Harry feed Daphne chips. She didn't want to know what Daphne's hand was doing under the table; but the cross-eyed smirk on Harry's face gave her a pretty good clue as to what was going on.

Ginny missed Harry; he was always sweet to her and they spent almost as much time together as they used to, but something had changed. There were things that he did, that she would rather not know about, and Harry had no patience for any topic related to Draco.

Draco. Where was Draco? He was over two hours late! She knew he'd be here if he could. They were going to celebrate the fact that their detention was finally lifted. Professors Snape and McGonagall had used techniques that Draco referred to as brilliantly evil to keep them apart over the past six weeks. The professors coordinated their detentions in such a way that they were never available on the same night. The only night that they could spend together was their Friday rounds, and Professor Snape had developed a nasty habit of checking-up on them at the most inconvenient times. This resulted in embarrassment all around, and two weeks being added to their detention.

Draco became an expert at catching Ginny in-between classes for a thirty second hit-and-run snog, but it wasn't enough. Midnight rendezvous always took their toll the next day. He had snuck her into his dormitory twice, but his roommates had no sympathy, and took pleasure in interrupting them. Mostly they settled for studying in the library on weekends, Ginny's grades had never been better.

They were so desperate to spend time together that Draco began showing up at Harry's DA meetings. The DA was fabulous this year! Harry had expanded it to two hours, the first hour was much like last year learning and reviewing defensive charms. But in the second hour they began dueling, with Dumbledore teaching them himself!

Harry always picked Draco as a dueling partner. Ginny didn't deceive herself into believing that Harry did this to keep Draco away from her. It was obvious that the two boys enjoyed hexing the crap out of one another, that's all there was to it. Their duels were always lively and often vicious. Everyone's skills were quickly improving.

Professor Dumbledore soon expanded the lessons to concentrate on fending off multiple attackers. This was where Harry excelled far beyond the others, after just an introductory lesson from Dumbledore; Harry had been able to fend off Draco, Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

Draco had even managed to disarm Harry with an Expelliarmus charm; Harry, however, was still able to repel hexes from the four of them without his wand.

This revelation sent Hermione off into a quite conference with Professor Dumbledore. The two of them whispered together and shot furtive glances at both Harry and Ginny. Harry gave Ginny a weary and withered look, causing Ginny to giggle, but she had to agree with him; Hermione and Professor Dumbledore with their heads together was a terrifying sight.

"Is anyone ever going to tell me what happened at the last DA? Why was Harry so bruised and bloody afterwards?"

Ginny had missed the last DA meeting; Professor McGonagall had insisted that she spend her final detention with her on Wednesday evening.

"It was nothing, Gin," Harry grumbled, taking a swig of his Butterbeer.

"Harry just got the stuffing hexed out of him, that's all," Ron teased, "I think our hero's getting a bit overconfident."

"I was just having a bad night!" he growled. "There were FOUR of you attacking me!"

"But there were four attacking you last week. What happened Harry?"

"I don't know Ginny; my concentration was off or something. Ask Hermione, she and Dumbledore were whispering madly together, again," he added dryly.

"Hermione?" Ginny queried.

Hermione lifted her head from her lunch with a quick and guilty grin. "No solid answers yet, just theories. Ginny, where do you think Draco is?"

"Since when do you give a flying fig where Draco is? You're just trying to change the subject. What's going on, Hermione?" Ginny insisted adamantly.

"I really can't say yet. Sorry."

"It's no use Gin," Harry sighed, "I've been trying to get it out of her since Wednesday, she won't crack. But really Gin, where is Malfoy? It's not like him to miss an opportunity to maul you."

"He doesn't maul me, Potter," Ginny sneered. "I don't know where he is, he said he had some unexpected business and he'd be an hour. That was three hours ago. He's been a bit odd since his father's conviction."

"Well yeah, he's facing poverty!" Ron laughed, "I can't wait to see him in second hand robes! It'll be a dream come true!"

"Ron! Must you always be such a git! That's just cruel!"

"Oh, Ginny! Like he's never been cruel to us?"

"He's at least making an effort to put it in the past!"

"Bollocks, Ginny! He's putting in an effort to get into your knickers! That's all! He hasn't changed a bit!"

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Calm down! Both of you!" Hermione commanded. "Ron, you're out of line."

"He's not like that," Ginny said quietly.

"Actually, he's really not," Daphne agreed, she'd been quiet until now. "He's really rather a prude, no girl's ever been good enough for him before. And many have tried!"

Ginny gave Daphne a grateful grin, while Harry scowled at her.

"I agree," Hermione chimed in, giving Ron a stern glare. "I still don't like him, but I don't think he'd have done what he did at the trial if he didn't care for you, Ginny."

Ginny smile broadened. "That's true, Hermione. Thank you."

Draco had attended his father's trial, the previous week. He had watched stoically as each witness has been called, describing the events of the previous spring in detail. Ginny had been called as a witness on the first day, but on the second day she joined Draco in the gallery. Lucius had not missed the sight of his son keeping company with a Weasley in the gallery. Draco had merely held his fathers glare, while bringing Ginny's hand to his lips.

Although Ginny had thought it a rather inappropriate time for Draco to be baiting his father, she was very touched by his gesture. Draco had only said it had to be done.

"What is it with girls and Malfoy?" Ron exploded again. "Even Hermione's going soft on him now."

Daphne shrugged, "He's dead sexy," she said matter-of-factly and then laughed at Ron and Harry's dramatic groans.

"I think I'll go get us another round of Butterbeer," Ginny smothered a giggle as she left the booth.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"Here's the last parchment Mr. Malfoy. Do you have any questions?"

Draco laughed incredulously "I'm sure I will…I'm just a bit numb at the moment."

"That's fine. Take your time, it's a lot to absorb in one go."

"I do have a question." Draco said slowly, "Is this permanent? Is there any way this can be reversed?"

"Mr. Malfoy, you're of age today. As I've said before, two years ago your father transferred all the holdings of the Malfoy estate into a trust with you as the sole beneficiary. The trust is irrevocable. You are one of the ten wealthiest wizards in the world. Not your father, you.

Of course, when the Ministry moves to seize your father's assets and discovers that he's a virtual pauper, there will be lawsuits. We're prepared for them, I assure you everything was done quite thoroughly and was completed long before your father's current troubles.

Mr. Malfoy, are you alright?"

Draco snapped out of his daze, "Why did he do this? Never mind…I know why. That's why he stayed in prison. Why didn't I know about it? What about my mother?"

"There was no need for you to know, your father was the trustee, until he faced his current…inconvenience, then the trusteeship passed to me until you came of age. Your fathers conviction activated the final codicil of the trust; removing him from authority completely. Your mother knows nothing about this. She, of course, still retains her own assets; the villa in Tuscany, vineyards in France and Germany. Your mother's a wealthy woman in her own right. Malfoy Manor, however, is yours."

Draco nodded numbly.

"Mr. Malfoy, there's one last thing. I have a letter here from your father, I suggest you read it later, when you have privacy."

Draco nodded, and tucked the parchment into his robes.

"Thank you, Mr…I'm sorry…I've forgotten your name."

"Quigley, Sir, Maximilion Quigley."

"Thank you, Mr. Quigley. And do you work for me?"

"Yes. I'm your solicitor, sir. I have extensive knowledge of all Malfoy holdings and their management."

Draco felt lost and found all at once, his mind was reeling. He didn't know where to begin. He needed help.

"Mr. Quigley, do you share my father's political beliefs?"

Mr. Quigley paused, and regarded Draco for a moment before answering. "I have great respect for your father's business acumen. I, however, have a rather broader view of the world, to a point of course."

"Of course," Draco said, as he and Quigley exchanged warm grins, and a bond was formed.

"I'll need help. Will you teach me?" And then, almost under his breath, "This means I can walk my own path."

"Yes Sir, it does. We'll begin right away."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Over an hour later, Draco was running towards The Three Broomsticks. Scarhead and Githead were talking about having lunch there, perhaps Ginny was with them. He couldn't wait to tell her the news.

He saw the Weasel's garish head in a booth by the window and he went in looking for Ginny.

"Where is she? Is she here?" Draco demanded, when he arrived at the booth to discover that Ginny wasn't sitting there.

"Good day to you too, Malfoy," Hermione said dryly. Draco scowled at her and she scowled back.

Ron, however, was smirking at him mischievously.

"Malfoy, I think we may have forgotten to tell you something about Ginny," Ron said ominously.

Draco rolled his eyes and played along; it was the only way he would get the information he wanted.

"What would that be Weasel?"

"Well, once you reach a certain comfort level with Ginny, you must NEVER, NEVER, leave her alone with your clothes."

"What are you on about?"

"Have a look." Ron pointed behind Draco.

Draco turned and caught sight of Ginny talking with the barkeep.

Draco's mind went blank, as his blood ran from his head, to other, more excitable regions.

Ginny was wearing his Quidditch shirt; she had MALFOY emblazoned across her back in bold Slytherin green. He was at her side in an instant. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and pulled her to him, not bothering to hide his excitement from her.

"This has to be the sexiest thing I've ever seen. My name stamped across your back, as though you're my property. I like it," he whispered into her ear and then kissed her neck.

Ginny moved her head to give him more access and sighed.

"I thought you'd never get here." She turned in his arms and kissed him. "Before you get too…possessive…you should know, I have one that says POTTER on it too. I wear that one to bed.

"Not anymore you don't," he growled, kissing her until the barkeep was clearing his throat to interrupt them.

Ginny pulled away from him and gathered the Butterbeer from the bar.

Ginny delivered the bottles back to the booth and then she allowed Draco to drag her away without another word. He pulled her into the cloakroom and pinned her to the wall.

"Ginny, I've had a brilliant idea. All the blokes are in town today, if we went back to the castle, we'd have time alone, three hours maybe."

"Is this a ploy to get your shirt back?" Ginny asked coyly.

"It's a ploy to get my shirt off of you, but you can keep it," he smirked, with a naughty twinkle in his eyes.

"What took you so long, anyway?"

"I forgot," Draco said honestly, while nuzzling her neck. "Nothing's more important than getting you alone."

"Buy me some Chocolate Frogs and you have a deal, Malfoy."

"Let's go," he said leading her out the door.

Ginny hesitated. "But what about Astrid? She'll be there, she wants me dead."

Draco laughed. "She doesn't want you dead, just maimed and disfigured."

"It's not funny! I just got my hair back to normal, yesterday." Draco burst into laughter again. "How can you think everything she does is hilarious? She's a monster!"

"I believe I'm the one who told you that! I know she's a monster. It's just she's a damn good monster!"

"The most humiliating part is that she's using my own brothers' products against me! I swear I'll kill those two."

"I think she's their best customer," Draco chuckled. "Don't worry Snape and I raided her room and confiscated her supplies yesterday. She hasn't had time to restock yet."

"Alright, but it will be on your head if I end up toothless and covered in warts, and I'm going to expect you to kiss me anyway."

"I could live with that," he snickered. "I kissed you when you had snakes growing out of your head, didn't I?"

"Yes, but you're a Slytherin, you probably found that sexy!"

"No, it was quite scary…but funny!"

"You know, if she was able to give you breasts, then she'd be able to take mine away," Ginny threatened.

"Oh, wow! I see your point now. That would be horrible! Not funny at all."

"I thought that might get your attention."

They got their Chocolate Frogs, and as they walked back past The Three Broomsticks on the way back to the castle Ginny didn't notice Harry's gaze following them as they walked away. Draco, however, did notice and he let his hand travel down to Ginny's arse to give it a squeeze. Draco could never resist flaunting his intimacy with Ginny when Harry was watching, which was often. Somewhere in the back of his mind Draco knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't stop himself.

As Draco expected, the dormitory was empty, Draco put several locking charms on the door and they were alone at last.

Ginny was suddenly shy, and embarrassed, she knew she was blushing horribly.

Draco smirked; he loved how she could go from painfully shy, to devilishly wanton in a split second. He hadn't quite figured out what triggered that reaction, it usually took him by surprise. He was determined to learn all of Ginny's triggers.

"Have I told you you're beautiful?" Draco removed the ribbon at the end of Ginny's long plait and carefully loosening the braid, spreading her hair over her shoulders.

"Yes. You tell me quite often, thank you," Ginny whispered, still crippled by shyness because of the intensity of Draco's attention.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Not really, no."

"You're exquisite. I'm going to make you believe it."

Draco kissed her gently, as though she would break, his kisses traveled along her jaw line to her neck. Ginny couldn't suppress the trembling that traveled up her spine, to the tips of her limbs and she gasped. The power he had over her was intoxicating.

Draco read Ginny's gasp as permission to proceed and he intensified his kisses, bringing his hands under her shirt and running them over her smooth back.

Ginny loved the way Draco undressed her. She didn't have any other experience at being undressed by a boy, but she was fairly certain that Draco was good at this.

He always unwrapped her like she was a cherished Christmas present, savoring every glimpse of what was revealed under the wrapping and making the process last as long as possible.

He always stopped with her top, and never asked for more. Ginny was grateful that he always stopped on his own, because he worked her into such a state that she would deny him nothing. Sometimes Ginny felt quite guilty about the condition he was left in when they parted company, but he never complained.

Ginny sighed as he traced a pattern on her shoulder blade.

"Are you ever going to tell me what's back there?"

"It's Draco," he said softly, while leading her to his bed and sitting her down, he then sat behind her.

"Hmmm?"

"You have some freckles that are much darker than the others. There are two quite large ones here side-by-side," he said, kissing a spot on the lower end of her left shoulder blade. "Those are the eyes, then there are several more which form a backwards 'S'," he said as he ran his lips gently over her shoulder blade and then circling back to the center of her back. "That's the body. Then there's a line of progressively smaller freckles leading to the back of your neck. That's the tail," he whispered in her ear as he nuzzled his way through her hair until he reached the sensitive skin of her neck.

Ginny swiveled around on the bed to face him, as she couldn't keep her hands off of him for another second. She ran her hands over his bare chest and through his soft, pale hair, losing herself in the feel of him.

"So I have a dragon on my back?'

"Yes, you do."

"I like that. I've always loved your name, even when I hated you, I loved your name; it suits you."

"So you like having a dragon on your back? You fancy dragons?"

"Yes, I'd like to have one on my front too," she said slyly, lying back while pulling him on top of her. She kissed him with all the passion in her and he returned it enthusiastically.

After a long while Draco pulled away from her, breathing deeply, his eyes closed in concentration.

"What's your name?" he asked suddenly.

"Ginny Weasley, nice to meet you," she said incredulously.

"You know what I mean, your real name, it can't be Ginny, not even Weasley's would be that prosaic."

"Draco!" she gasped at his insult.

"No offense," he smirked. "Is it Virginia?"

"No, too obvious."

"Is it Ginger?"

"Now that would be a prosaic name for someone with my hair color. No, it's not Ginger."

"Is it…Georgina?

"Oh, Merlin, no!"

"What's wrong with Georgina?"

"That's a name for one of those horsey girls, with a long face and big teeth!"

"I think it's a lovely name."

"You would," she huffed.

"What's your name, Weasley?" he repeated rolling back onto her again, and resuming his passionate attentions.

"It's Ginevra," she admitted.

"Ginevra," he repeated in her ear. "Very nice."

"I like it when you say it, you make it sound sexy and exotic," she said dreamily falling under his spell again.

Ginny ran her hands over him and reveled in the feel of his soft skin covering hard muscle, he made her burn like she'd never experienced before. She let her hand wander to the part of his trousers that she usually tried to avoid and she grasped his hardness gently.

"Ginny," Draco hissed suddenly, pulling away slightly. Ginny didn't let him go far.

"Draco…would you…would you like me to help you with that?"

Draco was silent for a beat or two, staring at her.

"Really? Would you?" he said calmly and dryly, but the joy in his eyes was barely contained.

Ginny smiled and nodded. "I'd like to."

Draco was off the bed and his remaining clothes were gone in a millisecond. Ginny couldn't help but laugh at the abruptness of it all.

Draco's joy, however, had disappeared, replaced by a concerned pout.

"What's so funny?" he asked testily.

"I've just never seen anyone move that fast. If you were that quick on the Quidditch pitch you'd beat Harry to the Snitch occasionally."

Draco was trembling with suppressed frustration.

"Ok… I have three points to make," he growled as he crawled back onto the bed and trapped Ginny under him.

"First," he said while kissing her neck and moving his focus down to her breasts. "When a bloke takes off his trousers, it's generally best if your first reaction isn't laughter. We're a bit sensitive about certain things."

"Oh. So sorry!" Ginny suppressed another giggle.

"Shhh. I'm not done yet. Second, never mention that git's name when you're in my bed."

"Oops…"

"And third," he interrupted her from saying anything further. "Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

Ginny looked at him questioningly. "May I speak now?" she asked tartly. Draco nodded.

"No, I have no idea what I'm doing, but how difficult can it be?"

She bruskly rolled Draco off of her and onto his back.

Draco looked a bit concerned and opened his mouth to speak.

"One word and I stop," she threatened, pleased that she had finally found a way to effectively silence him.

Ginny explored Draco with her hands, trying to be as attentive to his every detail as he was to hers. She made note of which motions made him sigh and which made him groan. He occasionally adjusted her hands showing her what he liked, but mostly he let her explore. When his eyes rolled back in his head and he groaned her name she figured that she was doing something right.

Ginny suddenly had an overwhelming urge; the rest of him tasted so good, she had to taste him.

"Oh! …... Merlin, Ginny! Thank you." Draco's eyes popped open in surprise.

After that it was only a few minutes before she had him shouting her name, and then it was over.

Ginny peeked up at him from under her hair; Draco looked quite dead, except for the smile on his face. He grabbed her and pulled her up on top of him, holding her tightly.

"Just give me a minute," he whispered faintly.

Once Draco had recovered a bit, he lifted Ginny's chin and kissed her deeply. He tasted himself on her lips and his passion ignited again.

"Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed that," he chuckled.

"I was alright then?" she asked shyly.

"You were brilliant," he smiled, "absolutely perfect."

Ginny tucked her head into his shoulder and they lay together quietly for a long time.

"Gin, it's my birthday today. Did I tell you that?"

"It is? Happy birthday! You should have told me."

"I'm having a really good day," he chuckled.

"Gin, I want to do the same for you, I want to make love to you."

Ginny's eyes went wide, but before she could speak Draco continued.

"Let me explain what I mean. I know you're not ready. I've been thinking about this for a while. I want to take you somewhere where we can be alone and no one can interrupt us. I want to hold you all night and wakeup with you in my arms. I want to kiss you everywhere and make you scream my name, like I screamed yours. I want to make you beg me to finish it, but I promise, no matter how much you beg I won't let you steal my virtue."

"Oh," Ginny gulped, "that sounds nice. But there is no place like that."

"Not in the castle, no."

"You're thinking of sneaking us out of the castle?"

Draco nodded. "I'm thinking of dress robes, and a fine meal, maybe some dancing and just the two of us all night at The Three Broomsticks."

"Oh, that sounds nice," Ginny repeated, in a daze.

"Will you let me arrange everything?"

Ginny nodded. "When?"

"Next Saturday."

"Ok."

"Could you nick Potter's map? We'll need it to get out of the castle."

"Sure…" Ginny began to kiss her way down Draco's chest. "Draco?"

"Hmmm?"

"I think I'm going to need some more practice before next week."

"Oh, well, feel free to use me for your studies. I won't be offended at all."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

"What the bloody hell is up with Malfoy?" Ron grumbled from the Gryffindor table at dinner that evening.

Draco was currently having a rather loud and rowdy birthday celebration with his house mates at the Slytherin table. This would have seemed normal enough if it hadn't been for Draco's demeanor. He was far too happy and gregarious and he wore a huge grin plastered on his face, not Malfoy-like at all.

"It's his birthday; he's having a good day. Leave him alone, Ron," Ginny snickered into her pudding. Ginny refused to meet the suspicious glares that Harry was sending her from across the table.

"I'm out of here." Ron growled. "We have a Quidditch strategy meeting in fifteen minutes, don't be late. We have to pummel those gits next Sunday."

"See you there Ron, I'm just going to finish my pudding." Ginny sent Ron on his way and hoped that Harry would follow him. But Harry didn't follow him, he just continued to sit and stare at Ginny.

"So where did you two disappear to all day? We didn't see you roaming about town."

"No, we didn't roam about town," Ginny rose quickly, and started for the exit, with Harry following closely.

"Where'd you go?" he persisted.

Ginny didn't understand what Harry was on about. He never asked questions about what she and Draco got up to, and he most definitely would not want to hear about today's activities.

"Really, Harry, it's not your business."

As Ginny and Harry exited the Great Hall, Draco burst in between them.

"Bugger off, Potter!" he growled as he pulled Ginny around the corner into an alcove.

"I just wanted to say thank you. Have I thanked you yet?"

"Yes! About a hundred times, it's getting embarrassing! And wipe that grin off your face!" Ginny laughed, trying to wiggle out of his tight grasp.

"Gin! We have a meeting!" Harry's annoyed voice came from around the corner. He'd learned not to look when Draco spirited Ginny into a shadow.

"I said bugger off!"

"Fine, I'll just tell Ron that you can't attend because you're busy snogging the opposing team's captain. He'll understand."

"Draco, I have to go! I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Night, Gin." He let her go reluctantly.

Draco leaned against the wall as he watched Ginny walk away. He felt a crunch in his robe pocket; he pulled out the parchment from his father that Mr. Quigley had given him that morning. The events of this afternoon had completely pushed the events of this morning out of his mind, but they all came rushing back now.

Draco read his father's letter.

"Fuck."

Draco saw Professor Dumbledore was still dining at the head table.

"Professor Dumbledore, a moment please?"

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco handed the Head Master his letter and he read it.

"It's from my father. Ginny Weasley's in danger."

"Let's go to my office, Draco."

**Authors Notes:**

Blondhunter, thanks again for the edit.

I find it highly amusing that when Harry is tortured with jealousy everyone is all "Poor Harry!" But when Draco is tortured with jealousy everyone is all "Torture him more! Torture him more!" (Even the Draco girls!)

I must apologize to any of my readers who may be named Georgina. I didn't say it, Ginny did. I just take dictation!

The next chapter isn't started yet, but it will be called 'Combustion' and it'll be a good one!


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Combustion

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 13: Combustion**

"I want to go to Azkaban to visit my father. I want to know what the Dark… I want to know what Voldemort has planned for Ginny."

"Have a seat, Draco." Professor Dumbledore stared at Draco with a calm smile until Draco reluctantly sat in the chair opposite the Professors desk.

"Would you like a Lemon Drop?"

"No, thank you. When can I go to Azkaban?" Draco asked impatiently.

"A Mr. Quigley came to see me this afternoon. Excellent fellow. It seems that congratulations are in order."

"Have I not made myself clear?" Draco burst. "Ginny Weasley's in danger!"

"Miss Weasley is currently in Gryffindor Tower attending some sort of meeting. She is quite safe. As long as she remains inside the castle she will be safe."

"Have you read that letter?" Draco persisted.

"I have given Mr. Quigley limited access to the castle. We will supply you with a classroom that you may use to conduct your family business with Mr. Quigley."

Draco huffed impatiently, "Thank you, sir. But Ginny…"

Professor Dumbledore sat back in his chair and continued casually.

"As I'm sure Mr. Quigley has informed you, the Ministry of Magic has long suspected the Malfoy estate of providing substantial financial support to Voldemort, and other various dark activities. The Ministry will not allow this change in ownership to go uninvestigated. You have an opportunity here, Draco…"

"Sir! What I do with my private property is no one's business but my own! I came to you because one of your students is in danger, and I thought you would wish to do something about it. Apparently I was mistaken…I'll be going." Draco rose to storm out of the professor's office.

"Ah. Severus. Come in, we've been waiting for you."

"Good evening, Head Master. Merlin, Mr. Malfoy!" Professor Snape emitted an exasperated groan. "What have you and Miss Weasley been caught doing now?"

"Nothing, Severus." Professor Dumbledore interceded on Draco's behalf, with a twinkle in his eye. "Draco came to me with nothing but the best intentions. Draco, if you don't mind, I think he should read this." Dumbledore handed the letter over to Snape.

Draco gaped at Professor Dumbledore; didn't the old fool know that Snape was an active Death Eater? The old man couldn't be that dim.

"You're a spy!" Draco blurted out, as he collapsed weak-kneed back into his chair. .

"Amazing powers of observation," Snape drawled as he read the letter.

"Congratulations, Mr. Malfoy. You'll have your hands full between your school work and family business. I'll expect you to keep up in your studies. I do hope your love life doesn't suffer from the strain of it all," Snape finished with a smirk.

"Does no one care that Ginny's clearly in danger?" Draco finally exploded.

Professor Dumbledore maintained the same calm smile as he addressed Professor Snape.

"Draco thinks it wise to go to Azkaban to speak with his father. Any opinion, Severus?"

"It wouldn't do any harm, but I doubt it would be fruitful. The Dark Lord doesn't share the details of his plans until absolutely necessary. If we want to investigate this, we need to go to the source."

"Voldemort isn't going to tell you his plans!" Draco said snidely.

"Mr. Malfoy, do keep your less than brilliant observations to yourself!" Snape snapped, cringing from the sound of Voldemort's name.

"Severus, we need a Legilimens, one of significant skill. Can you do it?"

"No," Professor Snape admitted. "This is beyond me… he would detect me in a moment."

"Is he ready, Severus?" Dumbledore asked intently.

"His attitude is deplorable! He refuses to follow the simplest instruction that I give him!"

"Is he ready, Severus?" Dumbledore repeated.

"His skills have tripled since the start of term, through no effort on his part, I assure you."

"Who are we talking about?" Draco interjected.

"I think a threat to Miss Weasley may be just what it would take to focus his concentration. I think he could be ready very soon."

"Who are we talking about?" Draco repeated impatiently.

Professor Snape regarded Draco with an amused smirk. "At the very least, it'll be an interesting exercise."

"Hello, Professor Dumbledore. Did you send for me?" Harry queried from the office door; he was rather perturbed about being pulled from his Quidditch meeting.

"Potter! What are you doing here?" Draco spat.

Harry glared at him and then looked quizzically at the professors.

"Come in, you may be able to help us with a problem of some importance." Professor Dumbledore welcomed Harry and motioned for him to take a seat.

"It can't be HIM you're talking about! He's a Legilimens? You expect him to face Voldemort?" Draco scoffed.

"Erm… why does he know that? What's going on?" Harry was suddenly very interested in their discussion.

"Draco, please show Harry your father's letter." Dumbledore instructed.

"It's not his business! We don't need him!" Draco insisted.

"Draco," Snape hissed, "as much as it galls me to admit it, yes, we do. Give Potter the letter."

Draco thrust the letter at Harry.

_Draco,_

_I am placing the responsibility of protecting all that is Malfoy in your hands. I have faith that I have raised you properly. I trust that you will remain true to the values and ideals that you were raised with and you will not disgrace us. I have sent you Quigley; he can be trusted._

_As the sole Malfoy heir, you will now have the privilege to be a valuable asset to our Dark Lord. He will make it a priority to acquire your allegiance. Your choice in this regard should be to put the Malfoy legacy first. _

_I must warn you: If you choose not to align yourself with him, he will attempt to destroy you. If not you, then anything you hold dear. If you choose this path, do everything in your power to remove your mother from Britain. She will not go easily… she's a stubborn woman. Do all you can to protect her. _

_Regarding your unfortunate predilection in female companionship, I am not in a position to dictate. Nevertheless, I sincerely hope she is merely a passing indiscretion and that once your urges have been satisfied you will dispose of her. Please keep in mind that her kind breed like rabbits and you should protect yourself accordingly._

_However, should the political tide go against us, an alliance with her wretched family may be a politically savvy decision._

_On the other hand, our Dark Lord has a history with that one himself, and it is doubtful you will be allowed to keep her. He has his own plans for her. If you prove to be a loyal and useful subject, he may allow you to keep what's left of her when he's finished, but I doubt you would find that satisfactory._

_You know what you would need to do should you want to keep her for your own._

_Again I warn you, the results of that procedure would not satisfy a Malfoy man._

_I have many regrets in my life Draco, so make your choices wisely._

_Your father,_

_Lucius Malfoy_

Harry finished the letter, and blinked twice.

"Ginny's in danger. What's the plan?"

An hour later Harry and Draco left Dumbledore's office together. Dumbledore had promised to arrange Draco's visit to Azkaban the following week. In the interim, Harry was to have daily Legilimency lessons with both Snape and Dumbledore in order to learn the techniques he would need to delve into Voldemort's mind undetected.

"Potter, what are we going to tell Ginny?"

"I don't generally keep secrets from Ginny, but there's really nothing to tell her at this point."

"So we'll keep it quiet for the moment. Does she know you're a Legilimens?"

"Of course." Harry chuckled at Draco, because he was busily avoiding Harry's eyes. "Don't worry; I won't use it on you. I have no desire to be inside your head. Have you told Ginny that you've inherited everything?"

"Not yet. I meant to, but I got distracted," Draco smirked and his eyes glazed over a bit as he remembered his afternoon with Ginny.

"Right…" Harry muttered. "What did your father's letter mean? That part about you knowing what you'd have to do to keep her?"

Draco stared at Harry, with a clenched jaw and a quirked eyebrow.

"He meant Binding Curses, didn't he?" Harry continued. "Do you know about them?"

Draco smirked. "Of course! Every junior Death Eater knows Binding Curses. In fact, if my father hadn't been in prison today, I probably would have gotten a girl in the dungeon for my birthday." Draco turned to walk away, but then turned back around. "But then I don't need that, do I? I've got the Weaslette!"

Draco turned and walked away without another word. He felt a sharp pang of guilt for talking about Ginny like that, but DAMN, the look on Potter's face was worth it!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Ginny was having a frantic week! Professor's were piling on the work, constantly reminding them that the OWLS they would take this spring will greatly influence their future. Ginny was feeling the pressure.

It was Wednesday and she'd barely seen Draco since Saturday, as he always seemed to be running this way and that, himself. He always found time for a hit-and-run snog or two during the day, but they'd barely spoken.

Today, she was going to find him, and he was going to have to speak to her… Ginny had opened _The Daily Prophet_ at lunch and gotten the shock of her life!

She was running toward the Quidditch pitch, as she knew the Slytherins would be coming off practice just now.

"Oy, Malfoy! Seems we've got a little Gryff spy, peeking at us!"

"We don't need to spy to whoop your sorry arses!" Ginny jeered at them.

"Move along blokes," Draco said as he smirked evilly at Ginny. "I'll see to the spy, make sure she learns her lesson."

The Slytherin team departed, with several lewd looks and rude comments, which both Draco and Ginny ignored.

"Hello, Young Lady. You look cold, you should be wearing a cloak," he said scooping her up in a tight hug and kissing her.

Ginny lost herself for a second or two before she remembered why she was there and wiggled loose, but stayed close.

"Don't you Young Lady, me! What's this?" she asked, as she thrust the paper at him.

"Ah, yes. Hmmm 'Shake up at Ministry. New Malfoy Heir Named'. This says I'm RICH, Ginny! How 'bout that?"

"Draco! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I meant to. That's why I was late on Saturday. I was going to tell you, honestly. But then I saw you in my Quidditch shirt and I forgot. And then… you…well…really made me forget. Do you see how wonderful this is? Do you see what it means?"

Ginny nodded and snuggled into his arms.

"It means you won't be a Death Eater."

"It means I have a choice," he corrected her.

"But you won't, I know you won't," she said confidently, and then kissed him soundly.

"So now we have something to celebrate at The Three Broomsticks this weekend!"

"Oh. I've been thinking about that. Maybe it's not such a good idea, sneaking out."

Ginny's face fell and she looked at him pleadingly. "Ok, if you don't want to, that's fine."

Draco groaned. _That look! How could anyone say 'No' to that look!_

"No! I do want to. Ok, we'll do it." Draco's mind swiftly started formulating a plan to keep Ginny safe and give her the night out he'd promised.

Ginny beamed at him again, she couldn't wait for this week to be over!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Harry wanted a late Saturday afternoon fly, it was a glorious autumn day, and they wouldn't get many more like this.

He entered his dormitory to fetch his broom when he saw Ginny rummaging through his trunk. A wide grin stretched over his face, he'd finally caught her. He'd finally caught the little bugger stealing his clothes!

He softly crept behind her, and then he pounced. He grabbed her around the waist, while yelling 'Caught Ya!' in her ear. The plan backfired on him a bit when Ginny let out a startled shriek and stood bolt upright. Her head collided with his nose and they both groaned in pain, while Harry fell backwards onto the bed, dragging Ginny with him. He had no intention of losing his captive now, no matter how much pain was involved.

"Bugger, Ginny!" Harry groaned, holding his bleeding nose.

"Bugger me? Why'd you scare me like that?"

"You're stealing my clothes again!"

"I am not! Keep still, you're bleeding everywhere." Ginny sat up next to Harry and performed a simple clotting charm on him.

"You should go to the hospital wing and make sure your nose isn't broken. Ron would kill me if your eyes swelled shut and you couldn't play tomorrow."

"Don't worry… nothing could keep me out of that game!"

Harry grinned as he pulled Ginny down and pinned her to the bed, forcibly patting her down and feeling inside all her pockets.

"Watch the hands Potter! You're enjoying this too much!"

"Ah ha! What's this?" he asked as he felt something under her shirt. He wasn't bashful at all about reaching under her shirt and pulling out a piece of parchment.

"You're stealing the Marauder's Map?" he asked with a perplexed grimace.

"I'm borrowing it," Ginny admitted grudgingly.

"Why didn't you just ask me for it?" he shrugged.

"I didn't think you'd give it to me without asking why I wanted it."

"Why do you want it, Ginny?" he asked suspiciously.

"If I told you, you'd try to stop me."

"I'll try to stop you if you don't tell me. Is it dangerous?"

"No! Just against the rules. You've broken rules before."

"Ginny, please tell me. Why do you want it? I won't try to stop you."

"And I can borrow the map?"

Harry nodded. "Just tell me."

Ginny took a deep breath before telling him, "Draco wants to take me out for a romantic evening."

"Oh, that doesn't sound so bad. Wait…what do you mean by out? You don't mean out of the castle, do you?"

Ginny nodded.

"Malfoy's taking you out of the castle? The idiot!"

"What's the big deal, Harry? Just to The Three Broomsticks! You promised you wouldn't stop me."

"And I won't. A few hours won't hurt, I guess. What time will you be back? In case Ron's looking for you."

"Oh. Um…late. Really late. Tell him not to wait up."

"What time Ginny?" Harry repeated tersely.

Ginny grimaced. "About nine…tomorrow morning."

Harry felt his lungs constrict in his chest. "You're…You're going to…Oh, I see now."

Harry couldn't have argued further if he tried. His mind was numb. He felt a huge weight in his stomach.

"Ginny…he's not…Ginny…he doesn't…" It was no use, Harry couldn't find the words.

"Ginny, are you absolutely sure about him?"

"Yes, Harry."

"You should go then," he said, handing Ginny the map without looking at her.

"Thanks, Harry. If Ron's looking for me, just tell him…"

"I'm not lying to Ron, Ginny. I won't volunteer anything, but I won't lie."

"Ok. Thanks, Harry. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Once Ginny had left, Harry collapsed back onto his bed.

Ginny ran down the Gryffindor steps at full speed. Draco was already waiting for her outside the Great Hall. Ginny gasped and stopped dead when she saw him. He was lovely; wearing what she was sure were the finest dress robes money could buy. She'd worn her finest robes also, but they looked like rags next to his.

"Draco, I don't have anything that nice to wear," she said biting her lip with worry.

"Everything's taken of, Ginny. You have the map?"

Ginny barely heard him; she was still standing and staring at him.

"Anything wrong, Gin?"

"No. It's just that you're lovely. I really shouldn't be dating boys who are prettier than me."

Draco laughed. "I'm not prettier than you, not even on a day when Astrid's gotten to you. And I prefer handsome, if you don't mind. Let's see the map."

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Ginny opened the map and pointed. "Here. Harry told me once that this is the best way out of the castle. It's on the third floor, you enter through the statue of the one-eyed old crone, and it leads to the cellar of Honeyduke's."

"Good enough. Let's go."

They soon found themselves in the pub of The Three Broomsticks. It was very odd to be there since usually the place was teeming with Hogwarts students, but today they were the only young people in the room. Ginny suddenly felt very self-conscious.

Draco handed Ginny a key.

"Everything should be ready for you upstairs. I'll wait here."

"But…"

"Just go to the room, Ginny. Room 2," he smirked at her, and pushed her in the direction of the staircase.

Ginny entered room 2 cautiously, there seemed to be some commotion going on inside.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, I presume?" said a tall pencil-thin witch with her black hair pulled back into a tight French-knot. She was regarding Ginny over the black horn-rimmed spectacles sitting on the tip of her nose.

"Come in! Come in, Miss Weasley. No need to be shy with me. I'm Madame Bufflelark, and this is my assistant Miss Simms. Mr. Malfoy hired us. He thought you might enjoy some assistance getting ready for this evening."

"Assistance getting dressed?" Ginny asked quizzically.

"No, no, no!" Madame Bufflelark laughed. "Assistance getting beautiful. Although, Mr. Malfoy was quite correct when he said there's not a lot of work to do here."

"Shall we start with your hair Miss?" squeaked the timid Miss Simms, who didn't appear to be much older than Ginny.

"Sure, hair first," Ginny shrugged.

"Put this on Miss." Miss Simms handed her a satin oriental dressing gown. Ginny chuckled when she noticed, that it was covered in a pattern of green dragons breathing fire. She began to worry about the kind of robe that Draco would have chosen for her.

Ginny was unaccustomed to being petted and poked and fussed over, but she gave herself over completely to the ministrations of Madame Bufflelark and Miss Simms. They worked diligently on her hair and beauty charms, until they both stepped back and smiled, seeming to be pleased with their day's work.

"There you are Miss. I'd say you're ready for your robes now."

Miss Simms pulled a formal black robe from the cupboard, it appeared to be silk.

"It's beautiful, did Draco pick that?"

"Yes." Madame Bufflelark smiled. "Malfoy men have their flaws Miss, but they're also known to have flawless taste, especially in their woman."

Ginny blushed and shook her head. "I'm nothing special."

"Mr. Malfoy would certainly disagree with you."

Miss Simms fastened the tiny buttons along the back of Ginny's robe and then they both stood back to admire their handy work again.

"Don't you want to see yourself, Miss?" Miss Simms queried, motioning to the mirror in the corner of the room.

Ginny nodded and moved to the mirror.

The image that greeted Ginny was no one that she recognized.

The person staring back at her wasn't an awkward schoolgirl; it was a stunning woman.

Ginny's hair had been piled casually atop her head, with several long curling tendrils allowed to escape down her neck. Ginny's eyes sparkled and her lips glistened.

The robe itself was quite unadorned and very elegant, it accentuated her every curve flawlessly. Ginny grinned to herself as she wondered again how Draco could know her size so perfectly.

"Are you pleased Miss Weasley?"

Ginny smiled, "Very, thank you."

"Mr. Malfoy is waiting for you then. We'll tidy up here."

Ginny returned to the pub where Draco waited.

"Draco," she said quietly from behind him

He quickly turned to her, and his audible gulp belied his smooth Malfoy demeanor.

"Wow," was all he could manage as his eyes seemed to devour her. He motioned for her to turn around, and she did. "Wow."

Ginny laughed. "This will be a long evening if that's all you're going to say."

"Sorry," he grinned, as he stood and stepped towards her. "You clean-up even better than I imagined, Weasley."

"That's more like it, thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you like it? The robe and everything?"

Ginny nodded. "Yes, thank you. Why did you do all this?"

Draco shrugged. "I just wanted you to see what I see."

"Oh," was all Ginny could manage, as she tried to calm the circus tricks her stomach was performing at that moment.

"Let's go eat, I'm starving."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

When Ron returned to the dorm room, Harry was in the same position that Ginny had left him in three hours earlier.

"There you are. I've been looking everywhere. Why weren't you and Ginny at dinner? You two up to something?"

"No, we're not up to anything." Harry's monotonous drone caught Ron's attention.

"You alright mate?" Harry didn't respond. "Did you spend the day with Daphne?"

"No, I broke it off with Daphne," Harry droned again.

"Sorry, mate." Ron sat on the end of Harry's bed. "Why'd you do that? She was alright, for a Slytherin."

"She was very nice, in fact. It's just that I realized something about her." Harry continued to stare at the ceiling above his bed, and didn't look at Ron.

"What's that, Harry?"

"She's not Ginny."

Ron smiled. "Finally figured that out, did you?"

"You know Ron, that Power Position theory of yours has a pretty painful flaw in it."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Well, what happens when you realize that you're in love, and you want to be with that person more than anything, but they're in love with someone else, and you're stuck being their friend?"

"Ginny's not in love with Malfoy, Harry."

"I'm not so sure about that. I didn't think it would last as long as it has. I thought he would screw it up, somehow. He hasn't, he makes her happy."

"You could make her happier, Harry. You just have to tell her how you feel."

"There's nothing I can say that won't make me look like a jealous git."

"And what's wrong with looking like a jealous git?" Ron smirked.

"Not my style mate," Harry grinned the tiniest bit.

"That's right, I forgot… you're the suffer-in-silence kind of bloke. Thank Merlin, I don't have that problem. I don't know what to tell you, Harry."

"There's nothing you can say." Harry perched himself on his elbows. "Why were you looking for me anyway?"

"Oh, I'm calling one last strategy meeting tonight; we've got to round up the team. Where's Ginny?"

"Oh, crap," Harry groaned, and sat up. "Ginny won't be at the meeting, Ron."

"Why not?"

"Er… she has a date with Malfoy."

"So what?" Ron laughed. "Let's go find whatever broom cupboard they're hiding in and drag her out. This is Quidditch, it takes precedent over snogging. Come on, it'll be fun! Piss 'em both off!"

"That won't work."

"What aren't you telling me, Potter? Come on, where's Ginny?"

Before he could stop himself, Harry blurted out, "They went to spend the night at The Three Broomsticks!"

Ron laughed. "Funny, Potter. Where's Ginny?"

Harry just looked at Ron; he couldn't bring himself to repeat what he'd just said.

"You mean to tell me that my sister…is off shagging Malfoy…you knew about it…and you did nothing to stop her?" Ron's voice was chillingly calm.

"We don't know they're shagging," Harry said with some difficulty.

"Yes, I'm sure they're just playing chess. Answer the question, Harry!"

"Okay… yes, she told me, but there was nothing I could do to stop her."

"Nothing you could do?" Ron finally exploded. "You could have tied her up, stuffed her in a cupboard, sat on her… I really wouldn't have cared how you did it, as long as you stopped her!"

"The Power Position doesn't allow that, mate. I told you, painful flaw in the plan," Harry said regretfully.

"That Bloody Power Position again! I wish I'd never thought of it!"

Ron began pacing the room.

"What are our options here? We could report them both to Dumbledore…but then Ginny would get expelled and Mum would kill her. Plus, we need her for the Quidditch game tomorrow. We could go down there ourselves and get her. How 'bout that?"

"We would need the map to get out of the castle without getting ourselves expelled. Ginny has the map."

"You gave her the map too?" Ron growled slowly, his rage practically oozing from his pores. "You're really trying to test our friendship tonight, aren't you Potter?"

"I'm not going after her, Ron. It's her decision. You're not going either."

"What are we supposed to do then?"

"We're going to round up the team and have our strategy meeting."

"I'm beginning to see why Malfoy finds you so annoying," Ron growled.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Ginny and Draco whiled away the evening in the dining room of The Three Broomsticks. It was close to midnight and the last of the diners were trickling out into the night.

Ginny and Draco were deep in conversation, sharing stories from their childhood and their hopes for the future. Mr. Quigley had met with Draco several times in the past week, and he was bursting with plans. Ginny loved to watch Draco talk about his future; for the first time he seemed to believe that he had one, and he was glowing.

Ginny looked around the restaurant, they were alone except for the musicians playing quietly in the corner.

"Draco, is everything alright?"

"Yes. Perfect. Why? What's wrong?"

"It's just that… you haven't kissed me all day, you haven't even touched me."

"Oh, that. Yes, I know that," he smirked.

"Is anything wrong?" she repeated.

"No," he teased, still not touching her.

"Then why?" she whispered in frustration.

"Because I want to…more than anything."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Yes, it does. Have you ever noticed that when you really want something, and you don't get it, it makes you want it more?"

"I suppose."

"And the longer you deny yourself that thing you want, the more you enjoy it when you finally obtain it."

Draco stood and held out his hand. "Dance with me, Ginny." It wasn't a question.

"But we're the only ones here!" she protested.

"Then there's nothing to worry about, is there?" He took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

Draco held her close to him and began moving slowly to the music.

Ginny felt the heat of his hands burning at her waist, and she felt her knees go weak as his breath tickled her ear.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him, allowing herself to disappear into the feel of him.

Draco whispered into her ear while slowly moving back and forth to the music. He told her how much he wanted to kiss her and how he longed to feel her. He described in intimate detail what he wanted to do with her all night long. Yet he still hadn't kissed her, he hadn't even allowed his lips to graze her ear as he spoke, and his hands remained firmly at her waist.

"What do you want Ginny? What can I do to please you?"

Ginny opened her eyes and blinked at him several times, while biting her lip. She knew what she wanted from him, she'd just never dared to say it aloud before. She whispered into his ear.

Draco smiled. "That goes without asking. There should be several for you, if all goes well."

Ginny stopped dancing and stepped out of his arms.

"Come with me." She took Draco's hand and led him to the staircase.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Harry had been staring into the Gryffindor fire for several hours. Sleep wouldn't come tonight.

"Harry?" a soft voice came from behind him.

"Hi, Hermione. Where's Ron? Is he still angry?"

"He's a bit calmer now. I think he's saving it for the next time he sees Ginny. He's been holding his tongue about Draco all term, so it won't be pretty. And don't expect him to speak to you for a few days either.

"Can I sit with you?"

"Of course," he said, pulling Hermione down into his lap.

"I've been a bit jealous of Ginny, getting to sit like this with you," she said softly as Harry wrapped his arms around her cozily.

"You and Ron were once all mine. Now, you've got dozens of girls."

"No, I don't. There's only one that I want. I was just too thick to see it until it was too late."

"Harry, can I ask you something that might be difficult to answer?"

Harry nodded.

"If you knew how you felt about her, then why didn't you stop her?"

"I've been trying to work that one out myself. I've almost gone running down there several times. I told Ron it was because I didn't want to look like a jealous git, but that's not true. If I thought she'd be mine, I wouldn't care what I looked like.

"She wants him, Hermione. She wants him in a way that she's never wanted me."

"She wants him in a way that she's never allowed herself to want you. There's a big difference there, Harry."

"Doesn't change the current situation, does it?"

"I need to ask you something else and think carefully before answering. How do you know how she feels? How are you so sure? Have you been using Legilimency on her?"

"No. She'd kill me… she can feel it when I'm in her mind. I just know."

"How Harry?" Hermione insisted and then she continued very carefully. "Can you feel what Ginny's feeling?"

"Why do ask that?" he asked cautiously.

"Think about it Harry, can you?"

Harry sighed heavily. "Sometimes I think I can," he admitted reluctantly, "especially when it comes to Malfoy. A couple of times when Ginny was near, and DO NOT breathe a word of this to Ron, my mind would become flooded with feelings for Malfoy." Harry shuddered suddenly. "Let's just say, I'm positive that these feelings were not my own!"

Hermione chuckled. "As long as you're sure."

"Quite sure, thank you. What does it mean, Hermione?"

"Can't say just yet, Harry. But I think it's safe to say that you have a part of Ginny that Draco will never be able to touch."

"But he's got all the good bits."

"This isn't a joke, Harry!"

"I know. Sorry. But you keep teasing me with clues and then refusing to tell me what's happening. You're worse than Dumbledore."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

The warm early morning sunshine woke Ginny gently. She smiled and stretched, but she couldn't quite move because of a weight on her stomach.

She smiled further when she saw Draco curled next to her, with his head on her stomach. She remembered that they had both fallen asleep while he was listening to her stomach rumbles and telling her stories about what he was hearing.

She couldn't restrain her hand from stroking his hair while he slept.

Draco had been good to his word, delivering everything that he had promised. They'd explored each other's bodies tenderly throughout the night.

She'd been pleased to learn that when things progressed to below the waist, Draco fumbled about as much as she did. But he was a very quick learner, and when he produced her first orgasm, sending her over the edge screaming his name, he came up grinning as though he'd just won the House Cup.

They experimented in ways that Ginny had never imagined. She never knew you could do so much, without doing everything. There were times when things got quite messy, and Ginny remembered some of her mother's advice, finally understanding what she'd meant and she quickly performed a contraceptive charm.

Ginny had lost herself in Draco's intensity, and she was quite sure that more than once she had begged him to finish it. But he had just chuckled and worked harder to satisfy her in other ways.

Draco had behaved like a gentleman. Well…as gentlemanly as a boy can be with his head crushed between a girl's thighs.

"Hello, Young Lady." Draco yawned as he crawled up Ginny's body and kissed her passionately.

"Morning," Ginny sighed.

"Time?" Draco ground his hips against her thigh insistently; he was already fully aroused.

"Early." Ginny spread her legs, so he could comfortably lie between them.

"Hungry?"

"Very."

"Bit of a snog first. Then food. Then more fun."

"Good plan," Ginny managed to say before his lips captured hers again.

Draco came up for air several minutes later when Ginny's belly emitted a loud rumble.

"Good Gods woman, there it goes again!"

"Sorry, I told you I was hungry."

"I'll go check on breakfast. They were supposed to leave it outside the door."

"Draco! You can't open the door like that! You're starkers! And you have a huge hard-on!" Ginny laughed.

Draco just grinned over his shoulder and waggled his eyebrows. He opened the door and stuck out his head, looking up and down the corridor. When he saw that the hallway was clear he quickly ran out and grabbed the tray that was waiting for them.

"Oh Merlin!" Ginny worried. "I can see it now, front page of _The Daily Prophet_ 'Malfoy Family Jewels on display at The Three Broomsticks—Limited Time Only!"

Draco laughed. "That would be the best press my family has had in generations! Here, you have to try this. I'll bet you've never had this before," he said as he placed the tray on the bed.

"Strawberries and scones? I've had Strawberries and scones before."

"I want to show you the proper way to eat a strawberry."

"Really? Well, one must be proper," she said imitating his drawl.

Draco took a strawberry and dipped it in a soft white cream, and then in brown sugar, and then held it out to Ginny's lips.

"Try this."

"I've had strawberries and cream before too!"

"Taste it," he growled.

Ginny bit into the strawberry, and it was not what she expected; where she expected sweet, it was tangy and where she expected creamy it was dense. It was absolutely lovely, and of course it tasted even better when licked off Draco's fingers.

"Mmmm. What is that? Sour cream?"

"Good isn't it?"

"You may feed me another."

Draco continued to feed Ginny her breakfast until Ginny decided that, as romantic as it was, the food just wasn't coming fast enough. She was hungry, so she shooed Draco away and began to feed herself.

Draco, having been fired from his feeding duties, quickly lost interest in breakfast and began to kiss, lick and nibble his way up Ginny's leg.

"Dwaka I ee-ing!" Ginny complained with a mouth full of scone.

"Then just ignore me," he smirked as his hand moved between her thighs and began manipulating her in a way she couldn't possibly ignore.

"Not fair! You're making me choose between you and food. I'm not sure you're going to win that one, Malfoy."

"I'll take my chances," he said just before his mouth relieved his fingers of their duties.

"Oh…Ok…You win," she squeaked, as she gave him more room to work.

When Ginny awoke for the second time that morning, she reveled in how perfect everything was; she was tightly wrapped in Draco's arms and in a state of complete bliss.

Why did she have the feeling that she was forgetting something?

Another surge of lust traveled down her spine when she noticed that, even in his sleep, Draco was aroused and ready to go again. She wondered how married couples ever got decent nights sleep; maybe you don't need sleep anymore if you can make each other feel this good. She began to kiss her way down his chest, to his belly and then down even further. Draco rolled onto his back and a grin spread across his face, but he didn't seem to wake up.

Maybe one more go, Ginny thought. We're in no hurry. We just have Quidditch today, but that's not till…

"Bloody Hell!"

"Ginny! Don't say that, you sound like your git brother," Draco grumbled, half-asleep.

"Quidditch! Get up! Quidditch! Half Hour! Get up!" Ginny was flying about the room, throwing on clothes as fast as she could find them.

"Bloody Hell!" Draco burst out of the bed.

"Just take what you need, Gin. I'll have the rest delivered to the castle."

"The map! Where's the map?"

"Oh bugger! I don't know. How'd we make such a mess?"

"Found it. Got your wand?"

"Yeah, let's go."

They ran at full speed though town, into Honeyduke's, through the tunnels and squeezed themselves the hump of the old crone, all without incident.

This was where they had to part company, Ginny to go up to the tower, Draco to go down to the dungeons.

"Be careful up there today, Ginny. Just because your head looks good on my pillow, doesn't mean my Beaters won't be trying to knock it off."

"I'm sooo scared of you nasty Slytherins!" Then she grinned, "Have a good game."

"You too." Draco ran several paces away and then turned when he reached the stairs.

"Weasley," he called. Ginny turned and smiled at him.

"I love you," he said softly, and then he disappeared down the stairs.

Ginny stood gaping for several seconds, trying to process what she'd heard and then she shook herself out of it.

"Quidditch! Must play Quidditch!"

Ginny ran up to the Gryffindor common room and immediately crashed into the towering rage that was Ron.

"There you are! Do you realize that we would have had to forfeit five minutes ago, if it weren't for the fact that the Slytherins were short a player too?" Ron's voice dripped with venom, the hatred and anger in his tone shocked Ginny into silence.

"You should be ashamed of yourself. You disgust me! I certainly hope you can still ride a broom after having been so thoroughly f…"

Ron crashed against the stone wall, with Harry holding him there; Harry's wand was at his throat.

"You don't want to finish that thought, mate."

"Get off me Potter!" Ron shoved Harry away, with all the force in him. "You made your loyalties clear yesterday. She could be going down on half of Slytherin and you'd still…"

Ron was silenced temporarily by Harry's fist hitting his mouth. Ron's rage turned on Harry.

The sight of the two boys pounding on one another was enough to partially roust Ginny from her shock.

"No! Please stop!" But her pleas and her tears did nothing to slow them down.

"Mr. Potter! Mr. Weasley! Cease this instant!" Professor McGonagall's command, however, was obeyed.

"I don't know what this is about, but we will discuss it after the match. I have just heard from Professor Snape, the Slytherin team is complete and heading to the pitch, you have ten minutes. Miss Weasley, you have some explaining to do after the match as well."

"Fine," growled Ron, pushing Harry away from him. "You're not the one I want to kill anyway." Ron turned to his sister. "Weasley, go suit up. You have a game to play, and you'd better be on it."

As the teams took their positions before the Quaffle was released. Draco caught Ginny's eye. He looked from her tear streaked face, to Ron's bloody lip, to Harry's swollen eye and he seemed to put two and two and two together.

The Quaffle was released, and play began on what would become known as the dirtiest and bloodiest Quidditch match in Hogwart's history.

The Slytherins scored almost immediately, but this only forced Ron to focus his rage on the game, and that was the last Quaffle that got by him.

Harry and Draco shot up far above the pitch and Harry immediately attacked.

"What in Merlin's name were you thinking, taking Ginny out of the castle? You know her life is in danger!" Harry shouted, above the din.

"Bugger off, Potter! I have a job to do here."

"Oh sure, now you're concerned about your responsibilities! But last night your responsibility to protect Ginny was secondary to what you could get out of her!"

"You've no idea what you're talking about Potter! I hired more than adequate protection. We were watched the entire time."

And then, he couldn't resist.

"Well…not watched exactly, we did need a substantial amount of alone time."

Draco cackled over his shoulder as he dove away from Harry.

Ginny did her best to clear her mind and play the game.

She couldn't help but notice that Draco and Harry didn't seem to be looking for the snitch, far above her. They seemed to be trying to kick each other off their brooms.

This combative attitude quickly trickled down to the other team members. The whistle blew furiously, as soon there were sharp elbows, bloody noses, and missing teeth in all corners of the pitch. Madame Hooch couldn't keep up and no one was left unscathed.

Ginny herself received a black-eye from the elbow of a Slytherin Beater. She took her revenge by scoring three more goals; she had scored seven in total. Gryffindor led 110 to 10.

The game, however, was no closer to ending because the game's Seekers were not seeking. They were fighting, busy pummeling one another high in the sky.

The Snitch seemed to take matters into its own wings when it fluttered between then teasingly. Their fight was suddenly taken into a dive, and they were neck-in-neck, both using any means necessary to push the other away. The game ended when Draco, at long last, finally beat Harry to the Snitch.

"The Snitch is mine today Potter, more than once I might add!"

Once they had landed Harry had the satisfaction of landing the first punch on solid ground, which resumed their fight.

"She's too good for you! You don't deserve her!"

Draco recovered and was eventually able to subdue Harry by twisting his arm behind his back. Neither of them had noticed the teams landing around them.

"I think we may finally agree on something Potter," Draco hissed in his ear. "Doesn't change the fact that it was my name she was screaming as she writhed underneath me all night!"

It was the shocked gasp from behind him that shook Draco from his rage.

"Draco?" Ginny gasped, barely audibly, tears already beginning to flow.

Suddenly she saw it; the hatred that could only warp any feeling he had for her, the hatred that she had attempted to ignore, telling herself that it had nothing to do with her. But it did, at the moment it had everything to do with her.

"Ginny!" he spun around.

"I'm just another way for you to hurt Harry. That's all I am to you. Oh…!"

"No, Ginny! I didn't mean it. I was just angry!" Draco took three long strides towards her.

"No, Draco. Stay away from me," she said as she backed off slowly.

"Ginny, let's go somewhere private. I love you, I meant that," he whispered.

The tears were flowing fiercely down Ginny's face and she could barely speak, but she kept shaking her head, No.

"You hate…Harry…more than… you love me," Ginny managed between sobs. "If you really loved …me, you'd…never say…that. Stay away from me." Ginny turned and ran.

"Ginny!" Draco moved to run after her, but he was caught by Ron.

"She said NO," Ron growled, as he held Draco more firmly than was necessary.

"I made her think it's not real," Draco muttered to himself, disbelievingly. He looked at Ron pleadingly. "I swear it's real!" The shock and anguish were so apparent on Draco's face that not even Ron had the stomach to taunt him at that moment.

"Let her go. There's nothing you can do."

Draco suddenly realized who he was talking to; he pushed away, grabbed his broom and flew off.

The crowd began to disburse. Ron flashed Harry an apologetic grin.

"Well, that's the end of that," he shrugged.

Harry shoved past Ron, heading in the direction that Ginny had disappeared.

"Fuck off, Ron."

**Author's Notes:**

No whining. Nobody cried more than me. It had to be done.

Thank you, Jocjarmom for the extremely quick Beta. I love it when I get a new nagger in the mailbox!

Yay! We have more fan art! It's called "Draco's bum" (Tee Hee Hee) and goes with (Chapter 8: Nothing Says: "I might like you…maybe", like a Dungbomb between the eyes!) It's posted on Niko's site:

wwwDOTside7DOTcom/cgi-bin/S7SDB/DisplayDOTpl?actgallery&aid16948 (Replace 3 DOTS) While you're there, there is an EXTREMELY important clue in that drawing, something I've told Niko and no one else. So rip your eyes from his bum for a moment and look around. Niko, you keep quiet!

Several people are asking, so I thought I'd give you a few thoughts about where this story is going.

This will not be an epic, covering ten years in detail. In fact, I'd say we're more that half way there already.

Nor will this story turn into a kill Voldemort action/adventure; the mere thought of writing that puts me to sleep, but I will give you enough information to figure it out.

I'm only interested in our triangle. My main goal is to return to the point in time of the prologue and see if we can't help our two favorite drunken gits remove their heads from their arses.

But before we can do that there are a few more things you need to know about the dynamics of their relationships.

Once the main story is complete, I will happily fill in the blanks of the missing years, with one-shots or at least shorter stories. What I write will be up to you; feel free to ask when we get there. (Just don't make me write the kill Voldy part!)

If you're really nice to me, I could probably be convinced to write an NC-17 piece or two.

Oh, and at the end of the story, their will be an epilogue that takes place 18 years in the future of the prologue.


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Retreat

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 14: Retreat **

If not for the silencing charms she'd placed on the shower stall, Ginny's sobs would have echoed throughout the plumbing of Hogwarts.

She had to wash the smell of him off her and so she scrubbed herself raw, but it didn't work. She could still feel him; she could feel his lips and his hands on everywhere on her body.

The sobs came harder and louder and soon, she could no longer stand. Her back slid down the shower wall until she was sitting on the stone floor hugging her knees. The water was running over her hair and face, blending with her tears and washing them down the drain.

Ginny had never felt so alone.

How could she have been so stupid? She knew what he was, everyone had warned her, and even Draco himself had cautioned her.

She'd let him in. She'd allowed herself to feel more for him than she'd ever allowed herself to feel for anyone. It was a mistake, and it hurt too much to bear.

Ginny stayed in the shower crying until her head was throbbing and her tears had been wrung dry. She didn't want to leave, at least here she had privacy; outside this room there was none.

She'd just been humiliated in front of everyone. She couldn't stand the stares, the whispering and the pity. No one could see her like this. It was dinnertime; she could sneak back to the dormitory without being seen. Drawing the bed curtains around her was her only hope for privacy.

The Gryffindor common room was empty, as was her dormitory. A large box waited on her bed. When she opened it, she found her personal items left at The Three Broomsticks, including the robe and the dragon infested dressing gown that Draco had given her. She threw them back into the box and kicked the box under her bed.

A new supply of tears was ready and began pouring out.

Ginny crawled into her bed, drew the curtains and tried to disappear from the world.

She wished for sleep to come, but more than once just as sleep was about to claim her she'd think she could hear him whispering in her ear. He'd tell her that she was beautiful, and say all the things she needed to hear and which no one else had ever bothered to say.

He'd manipulated her to get what he'd wanted. He'd pretended to be her friend, and he'd pretended to care. He'd used her, just like Tom had used her. Only with Draco it was worse; Draco made her want to be used.

How could she ever forgive herself?

"Gin? Gin, it's Harry; can I talk to you?"

"Go away, Harry," she sniffled, burying herself deeper under her pillow.

Ginny felt a weight settling at the foot of her bed; Harry wasn't going away.

"I said, go away, Harry," she repeated.

"I can't do that, Ginny. I want to help."

"Don't you think you helped enough, in your attempts to defend my honor today? I think you've done enough," she said bitterly, her voice muffled by her pillow and her sniffles.

Harry's voice remained very calm and steady.

"Gin, I'm very sorry for the part I played today. But we can talk about that later. That's not why I'm here… I'm here to return a favor."

Ginny reached for her blanket and pulled it over the pillow that was over her head.

Ginny felt Harry's weight shift as he moved towards the head of the bed; he still wasn't leaving. Harry pulled the blanket back, and lay down next to her; he stuck his head under the Ginny's pillow, and then he held her still so she couldn't turn away from him.

She opened her eyes and sighed, seeing tenderness in his eyes. "Please go away, Harry."

"No. I want you to come with me, Ginny."

"What do you mean?"

"You and I are alike at times like this. You're the one that taught me that. I have a sanctuary, and I want to take you there."

"You do?"

"You don't have to talk to me, or even forgive me. Just come with me."

"How did you get into the girls dorm?" she suddenly wondered.

"Broom." Harry sat up and pulled the pillow off Ginny's head. "Let's go. I'm not taking 'No' for an answer. I'll drag you by the ear if you don't come willingly."

Ginny gave him a dark look and still didn't move.

"Suit yourself," Harry chuckled. He stood up and pulled the covers off of her, and pulled her out of bed, trying not to notice that she wasn't wearing much.

"Put on something warm, we're going out. And gather your things for classes tomorrow; you won't need to come back here." Harry shoved her towards her trunk and Ginny began to do as she was told.

Once she'd gathered her belongings, Harry motioned towards the door but Ginny hesitated and shook her head.

"I don't want to see any one."

Harry shrugged and grinned. "Alright, grab your broom then, we'll go out the window."

Ginny brightened slightly at the thought; she sniffled and wiped her eyes and gathered her broom.

Ginny soon found herself outside on the school grounds.

"Lumos." Harry's wand lit up and cast a beam of light across the grass and he began to look for something on the ground.

"Harry, I'm really not up for an adventure tonight," Ginny grumbled impatiently.

"Just trust me for two minutes. I'm just looking for a rock about the size of an apple. I left it around here somewhere. There it is."

"Wingardium Leviosa." Harry levitated the rock a sent it away from them towards a large tree.

"Harry, that's the Whomping Willow," Ginny gasped, when she noticed the flailing tree.

"Sshhh." Harry dropped the rock onto a knot in the root of the tree and the tree went suddenly limp.

"Come on." Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and led her down into a crevice in the trunk of the large tree.

It was dark within the tree, and Ginny used her own wand to create light as she let Harry lead her through a long underground tunnel.

"Harry, I remember now… you told me about this, we're heading for the Shrieking Shack aren't we?"

"We're almost there, just up this ladder."

They climbed the ladder and entered the house. Once inside, Harry led Ginny through a series of dark and dirty rooms, until they arrived at one that looked quite neat and lived in. It had a fireplace and a large comfortable looking chair and a bed.

"Your sanctuary is the Shrieking Shack?"

"It's not as nice as the Bower, but it does the trick. I come here when I need to be alone."

"So all those times we thought you were off snogging some girl, you were here?"

"No. Sometimes I was off snogging," Harry grinned, "sometimes I was here."

Harry began to conjure a fire, while Ginny looked around.

"Do you bring girls here, Harry?" Ginny asked, eyeing the bed in the corner.

Harry bit back a smirk, and continued working on the fire. "Only you. It's a sanctuary, not a love shack."

"Can't people see the smoke?"

"No, the house is charmed; you can't see light or smoke from the outside. Right then, you have a fire." Harry stood and turned to Ginny. "That box on the table has some butterbeer and biscuits, if you get hungry. Oh, that reminds me… I brought you some dinner." Harry dug through his bag and brought out two paper wrapped parcels. "Just sandwiches, but I didn't think you'd had a chance to eat all day."

Ginny shook her head. "Not since breakfast actually, thank you."

"Also, allow me…" and with a swish of his wand, Harry cast a healing spell to get rid of Ginny's black eye from the Quidditch game.

He was being so sweet when he should be yelling at her for being stupid. Ginny felt the tears begin to gather again. She couldn't look him in the eye; she just looked at the floor.

"I'd say the same rules apply here as the Bower," he continued gently. "You come out for meals and Quidditch, and classes, of course. I only come when expressly invited by you. You can use this place for as long as you need to. And it's our secret; no one else needs to know. Ok?"

Ginny closed her eyes and tried to hold back her tears with long, slow breaths, but she felt her control weakening.

"And here, take this." Harry pulled a ribbon from around his neck. "It's the emergency Portkey they gave me when I was staying at the Burrow. If anything odd happens, use it;

it'll bring you to Grimmauld Place."

Ginny was puzzled. "Why would I need that?"

"You never know, just to be safe."

Harry slipped the ribbon over her head, and lifted Ginny's chin, so she was looking at him.

"Promise me you'll wear it while you're here."

Ginny nodded and one lone tear escaped her eye.

"Right then," Harry continued. "I'll see you at breakfast." Harry turned away reluctantly, he could feel her pain and he wanted to help her relieve it. Ginny was on the verge of breaking down again. Harry was torn between his desire to rip Malfoy apart and his need to stay and help. Then, he reminded himself of his own role in the day's events. He and Draco had argued throughout the Quidditch match, he'd said things he knew would provoke Draco. Harry knew he had the power to enrage Malfoy like no one else, and he knew that he had used that power, and Ginny was the one who got hurt.

"Ginny, my best friend told me something once." Harry stepped towards her and took her into his embrace. "She said, 'This is where you come to cry.' I think she was right; no one should cry alone."

Ginny's control finally broke, and the torrents of tears flowed as she melted into Harry's embrace. Her sobs came even more violently this time, but somehow it didn't hurt as much in Harry's arms. She wasn't alone anymore.

Harry guided them over to the chair before the fire and the sat together while Ginny cried. There were very few words exchanged, but they didn't need them. Harry held Ginny tightly for a long time, until they both fell asleep.

Harry woke first, several hours later. Waking with Ginny in his arms was a revelation to him; he knew he loved her, but he'd never realized how incomplete he was without her. Harry felt whole for the first time in his life.

He watched her sleep on his shoulder… she was beautiful. Perfect. Even the little puddle of drool she was forming on his shoulder was perfect.

"I love you, Ginny Weasley," he whispered.

Ginny stirred, and nuzzled into his neck.

"Mmmm…Draco."

Harry's breath hitched.

"Excellent," Harry chuckled, in spite of himself. "Walked right into that one, didn't you, Potter?"

"Hmm? Harry, d'you say something?" Ginny asked groggily.

"Yeah. Gin, we should move you to the bed, you'd be more comfortable."

"Okay, but you'll stay with me, won't you?" Ginny asked, as she stood and stretched.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"I'm starving, where are those sandwiches?"

Ginny settled on the bed with a sandwich and a Butterbeer.

"Harry, would you do me another favor?"

"What's that?" he asked as he plopped himself across the foot of the bed.

"Ask Ron to switch Prefect rounds with me. I'm not planning to talk to him for a while. I can't forgive him for the things he said to me before the match. I'd ask Hermione to switch, but it's not fair to make her spend time with Draco. I'd say that right now, Ron and Draco deserve each other."

"I'll ask Hermione to talk to him. He's not on my favorite person list at the moment either.'

"Harry… you can't let this come between you! He'd do anything for you, you know that."

"I know, and I'd do anything for him. We'll be fine in the end; it'll just take some time. He was out of line today. I was out of line too. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed Malfoy's buttons the way I did, or let him push mine; I'm not quite sure which way it went."

"What were you two fighting about?"

"Nothing that deserves repeating; I said things I knew would piss him off. I'm so sorry Ginny. I never wanted you to get hurt."

"It's for the best, Harry," Ginny said glumly. "I was stupid for believing that Draco had changed." Ginny's eyes misted over a bit. "I'm so ashamed of myself, Harry. I thought he cared for me. I thought…I guess you were right, I wanted to save him. Instead, I was an idiot, I let him into my head, I let myself be manipulated again."

"Again?" Harry furrowed his brow. "How do you mean, again?"

"Tom Riddle got into my head like that. He…"

"Hang on!" Harry sat up suddenly. "Ginny, no! Malfoy's a scheming, manipulative git, but he's not Tom Riddle! This isn't the same thing at all! You weren't possessed," Harry's jaw clenched slightly, "you wanted to be there."

Ginny abruptly dropped her sandwich and looked at Harry in surprise, and then slumped against the headboard of the bed.

"You're right," she admitted solemnly. "You're right. I'm just a common Essex shlag. Thanks Harry, that makes it all better."

"Oh Bugger!" Harry groaned, as he cursed the gods for putting him in this position. "No Ginny, you're not a shlag. All I meant was that you didn't let him into your head. You let him into your heart, and while I know you're hurting right now, there's nothing wrong with that." Harry rolled his eyes in utter disbelief of what he was about to say.

"And…Malfoy…well, I don't think he was using you Gin. Not really. I've seen the way he looks at you…you can't fake that. Don't get me wrong," Harry quickly interjected. "he's still worthless, and you should kick his arse out of your life. But you shouldn't beat yourself up for caring for him."

Harry cautiously watched Ginny's face as she tried to gain control over her emotions. "Please don't cry again."

"I won't," she stated with conviction. "I'm done with that."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Pansy hated flying, if the gods had meant for witches to fly, it wouldn't involve a very uncomfortable stick shoved up the bum. But she knew where he was hiding and the only way to get there was on a broomstick, so she 'borrowed' Goyle's and made her way to Draco's turret.

As expected, she spotted his bright head slumped over the wall. As soon as he noticed her presence he pulled his robe hood over his head, hiding his face from view.

"What are you doing here, Parkinson?" he asked harshly.

"I thought you might want some company. Crabbe and Goyle aren't exactly 'cry on the shoulder' types, are they?"

"I don't need a shoulder, and I'm not crying," he sniffled.

"No, of course not. Why should you? You finally found a girl you're mad about, who makes you seem almost human, and who makes you happier than I've ever seen you. Then, you manage to lose her by talking about her in front of the entire school as though she's a common tart. Why should you be upset?" she asked dryly.

"Are you here to help, or to rub it in?"

"I think a little of both is in order. You broke all previous records for being a prize wanker today, Puddles."

"I've told you NOT to call me that," he hissed.

Pansy became earnest suddenly. "You've got bigger problems, though. Draco…did you and Ginny…have sex?"

Draco shook his head, and said miserably, "Not entirely."

"Everyone thinks you did. That's what's going around school."

"I'm such a shite," Draco groaned in agony. "She doesn't deserve that. Why do I always let that do-gooding, scar-headed, attention hound get to me? I took something beautiful and made it seem cheap and shameful."

"What are you going to do?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't know. Do you think she'll forgive me?"

"Probably not; even I hate you at the moment, and I'm used to you."

"But you'll get over it; you always do, so won't she?"

"Maybe in time, but considering who you are and who she is, I think this might have been a one chance deal. Not to mention who she has watching from the sidelines, waiting for you to screw-up."

"Potter," Draco snarled. "I just handed her to him, didn't I? Not that it wouldn't have happened eventually anyway."

"He's quite fit," Pansy sighed.

"Parkinson!" Draco gasped in disgust.

Pansy smirked, Draco was so easy; the best way to cheer him up, was to piss him off. "Daphne says he's quite the kisser, lots of raw talent there."

Draco groaned and reached over to grab her, pull her into him and clamp his hand over her mouth. Pansy laughed and squirmed and pried his hand from her mouth.

"Of course I don't think Daphne got the chance to take advantage of as much of that talent as she wanted to before he dumped her."

Draco released her suddenly. "They broke-up?"

"Couple of days ago," Pansy nodded. "He's a free man."

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Draco growled, while pounding his head on the stone behind him.

"Draco, stop!" Pansy held his head still, until he relaxed.

"Pans, I have to talk to her. You have to help me."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Over the next few days, Ginny kept herself busy.

She'd always hated the kind of girl who finds herself a boyfriend and completely forgets about her other friends, but to her horror, she realized she'd done just that. Ginny spent many of her meals at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, catching up with her friends. Like true friends, they rallied around her and behaved as though nothing had happened. Ginny never scanned the Slytherin table, but she felt eyes on her. Draco didn't attempt to approach her.

When Ginny sat at the Gryffindor table she sat away from the trio. Hermione had managed to negotiate a tense peace between Ron and Harry, but she had no such luck with Ron and Ginny. Ron had agreed to switch Prefect rounds with Ginny, but was as far as either of them went in acknowledging the others existence.

Ginny avoided the Gryffindor tower in those first few days, preferring to spend her free time in the 'Tree' as she and Harry called it. Sometimes Harry stayed with her, but she liked the solitude as well.

On Wednesday evening, Harry was just beginning the DA meeting when a commotion at the door drew everyone's attention.

"Stop shoving me!" Pansy Parkinson hissed, as she stumbled through the entrance followed closely by Draco.

For the first time in over three days, Draco and Ginny's eyes met and locked together in a sad and hopeless stare.

If Draco had clung to any hope of getting Ginny back, it was dashed by the look in her eyes. There was no anger or accusation in her gaze, just sadness and futility. Everyone in the room averted their eyes at the obvious pain that they were witnessing, and Harry broke the silence by beginning the meeting.

"Right then. Welcome Pansy," Harry began. "I'm sure Draco will work with you and help you catch-up on what you've missed so far. Why don't the two of you work over there?" Harry indicated a spot on the floor behind and away from Ginny, and thus, out of her direct line of vision.

Draco tore his gaze from Ginny reluctantly, but then nodded to Harry and took the spot he had suggested.

Harry guided Ginny through the meeting; he worked with her as a partner and went out of his way to ensure that Ginny never had to face Draco. However, the dueling segment at the end proved to be most simulating, stray curses seemed to fly in every direction. At one point both Ron and Draco collapsed simultaneously onto the floor with bogies violently flying out of their noses. No one claimed responsibility for throwing that curse, and no one was willing to point any fingers.

Once the bogies were remedied, Ginny watched Pansy help Draco up from the floor, her eyes were glowing and she had a broad delighted smile on her face. Draco was right; she was very pretty when she smiled.

"This is great!" Pansy mumbled to Draco, once he was standing. "We're coming back next week." Draco gave her a pained glare, but then he nodded and smiled back at her.

At the end of the meeting Ginny and Pansy began their Prefect rounds.

Ginny had approached Pansy earlier in the week to tell her of the switch and to ask her not to switch with Draco, if he asked. Pansy had assured her she wouldn't switch and that Draco wouldn't ask.

The first half hour of rounds passed in virtual silence, as several attempts at conversation failed miserably. There was a large white-haired elephant in the room, and they were both trying to ignore it.

"Pansy, just tell me what he wants you to say, so we'll be done with it," Ginny finally snapped.

"Oh…that obvious?" she chuckled. "He wants to talk to you, to apologize, but he said he'll wait for you to go to him."

"That's it? That's the entire message? I certainly hope he's not holding his breath!"

"Well…he also said he didn't want to go back to being the enemy." Pansy felt like she needed to say more, for Draco's sake. "Weasley, I've never seen him like this. You've changed him. He's very angry, but at himself and that's unusual for Draco; he usually finds a way to blame someone else. This time he's taking full responsibility. I know what you must be thinking, but he wasn't pretending with you."

"Harry said that too," Ginny supplied glumly.

"Potter defended Draco?" Pansy asked incredulously.

Ginny chuckled. "He only went so far as to say that he's not a complete monster and that he does care for me. But I'm just not sure. I don't know if Draco can tell the difference between his feelings for me and his love of niggling Harry. I think that's what I can't trust. What do you think, Pansy? Can he tell the difference?"

Pansy looked at Ginny in surprise and thought for a moment.

"I'd rather not answer that," she said reluctantly, "because I honestly don't know."

"Well, that makes two of us."

They carried on their duties in silence until Ginny asked.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Why not?"

"Why didn't you go out with Draco when he asked you?"

Pansy laughed. "I see you like asking questions that don't have answers. I don't know. I was an idiot. I suppose, because Draco had always been there and I was curious for something new. When he disappeared over the summer, I reconsidered that decision. But, by the time I saw him again, he was already gone over you."

"If we ignore his desire to bother Harry, he only wanted me because he couldn't have you."

Pansy looked at her skeptically. "No, I don't think so."

"I do… in fact, I'm pretty certain of it. We knew our relationship would be complicated. I think Draco said 'we both had unfinished business elsewhere'."

"No way! I mean look at you; you're every teenaged boy's wet dream," Pansy said ignoring Ginny's glare. "And, well…I'm not."

"Draco thinks you're pretty, he's told me so more than once."

"He has?"

"Hasn't he ever told you that?" Ginny was surprised, considering how generous with a compliment Draco had been with her.

"No, that's not something a bloke tells a friend."

"Oh…well he does."

"Why are you telling me all this Weasley?"

"I don't know…but would you do one thing for me?"

"What's that?"

"Don't let him become a Death Eater; he always refuses to tell me he won't."

"Hmm… he'll do whatever he thinks is in the best interest of the Malfoy estate. That's where his loyalties lie. It always surprises me how many people can't figure that out about him."

"I don't see how becoming a Death Eater will help, now that he's inherited everything."

"True…and I never could imagine Draco groveling before the Dark Lord."

Ginny laughed.

"That's true, Draco's too much the Alpha dog for that. Can you imaging him crawling before Voldemort to kiss the hem of his robes?"

"Oh, Merlin no!" Pansy shrieked. "Not unless he had a plan to kill him and take over the Wizarding World himself!"

"Yes!" Ginny giggled. "But Draco wouldn't go after Muggles and the Muggle-born; if he were in charge he'd exterminate all the bad dressers!"

Pansy guffawed. "Anyone who wore brown shoes with a black belt would be killed immediately!"

The girls quickly reduced themselves to tears, laughing, and happily spent the remainder of their shift bashing Draco.

Ginny spent the remainder of the week quietly; she spent time with friends and studied in the Tree in the evenings.

She'd invited Harry to join her there whenever he could, and he often came, but usually quite late. He'd been spending his evenings with Professor Snape, in extra Occulmency lessons. He was very vague with Ginny about why his lessons had intensified suddenly. When he arrived in the Tree, he was usually drawn and exhausted and seemed to need Ginny's company as much as she needed his. They found comfort and rejuvenation in each others arms, but neither of them put those feelings into words, they just knew it felt right.

On Saturday morning, Ginny overhead Ron telling Hermione what an absolute git Draco had been during rounds. Neither of them had much of anything to say to each other, and spent most of the evening trying to stop themselves from pummeling the other. It wasn't until they caught two Hufflepuffs in the altogether in the trophy room that the ice finally broke.

Although the subject of Ginny never came up the entire night, it seemed they'd reached a tepid sort of peace.

By the end of the week Ginny found that she needed to make peace with Ron also, so she'd begun to return to Gryffindor Tower. Although they still rarely spoke directly to one another, Ginny and Ron reached a place where they could be in the same room together and even sit within each other's company.

On Sunday evening, the four of them were in the Gryffindor common room. Harry and Ginny were playing Exploding Snaps and Ron was lazing about with his head on Hermione's lap while she read.

Suddenly Ron stood, kissed Hermione and made his way to the common room exit, without saying a word.

"Hey Ron, where you going?" asked Harry.

"Oh… you know…out…for a walk."

"On a Sunday night? After curfew?" Harry was hoping that Ron was sneaking to the kitchens because he was hungry.

"Sure. Why not?" was all Ron said, as he slipped through the portrait hole.

"Hermione, don't you think that's odd?" Harry asked, quite perplexed as Ron was rarely the mysterious type.

"Moderately," she said not looking up from her book as Harry and Ginny exchanged concerned looks.

"Is everything alright between you two?" Harry queried further.

"Yup. Perfect," her lips twitched as she continued to read.

"Then, where's Ron going? It's almost as if he has a date or something."

Hermione sighed, snapped her book shut, and looked up with a grin.

"Oh…I'm fairly certain he does have a date," she said as her grin widened, "but not with a girl."

Harry's eyes widened in horror, but Ginny burst out laughing.

"Chess Sluts?" she asked Hermione, and Hermione nodded and joined Ginny's laughter.

Harry finally caught up with the conversation, with a gasp and a perplexed grin.

"Those two have the strangest priority systems," Harry quipped dryly, while shaking his head.

"Excuse me," Hermione said as she rose, "I promised little Emmet Alcott I'd help him with his Potions essay." Hermione retreated to the corner of the Common room with the small, blushing first year.

"Want to switch to chess, Harry?"

"Sure," he answered, and then gathered up the cards as Ginny moved in the chess set.

As Ginny arranged the chess pieces, she realized she had spent at least some part of every evening with Harry in the past week and a couple of times he had spent the entire night with her. Ginny suddenly felt quite guilty; she hated being needy.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for being so nice to me."

Harry chuckled, "No problem at all, Gin."

"But Harry…I'm alright now, you don't have to…baby-sit me anymore."

"I'm not baby-sitting you, Gin," he said, in surprise.

"But you're spending so much time with me… there must be things you'd rather be doing. What about Daphne? You haven't seen her all week."

"Oh…erm…I've been meaning to mention that…we broke-up…over a week ago."

"Harry! Why didn't you say anything? I'm sorry."

"It never came up," Harry shrugged.

Ginny groaned, "But I've been going on and on about poor me and not even bothering to ask about you! I'm so sorry."

"It's really no big deal, Gin. There was no drama, we're both fine. In fact, I saw Daphne with Blaise Zabini today. I think she's seeing him now."

"Pansy broke-up with Blaise?" Ginny asked slyly, as she moved her first chessman.

"Apparently," Harry shrugged.

"But why, Harry? Why'd you break-up? You really liked Daphne."

"It just wasn't right, Gin."

"Okay, well I'm glad you're alright, but you still don't have to spend so much time with me. What about all the other girls? There were dozens following you around at one point."

"No, I'm fine at the moment, Gin," Harry tried to concentrate on the game and was desperately trying to think of another subject to bring up.

"Harry, there's something you're not telling me," Ginny said sternly. "You're not looking at me."

"It's not important, right now," he said insistently, as he forced himself to look her in the eye. Harry desperately wanted a change in conversation.

But Ginny was determined to be as helpful with Harry's problems as he'd been with hers, so she kept pressing, and Harry finally snapped.

"Alright! I broke-up with Daphne because I like someone else," Harry blushed. "Actually, I love someone else."

"You're in love, Harry? Are you sure?" Ginny asked with a hollow voice.

"Positive."

"Then what are you doing here with me? Go ask her out."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"You told me once that I need to work on my timing. The timing isn't right."

"Why not?"

Harry growled to himself, and cursed this girl's tenacity.

"Ginny…" he groaned, and he realized she wouldn't drop it. "She just broke-up with someone, someone she liked a lot. She's hurt, and not ready to hear it. Can we please not talk about it anymore?"

Ginny was rendered speechless.

Their chess game continued in silence for quite a while; in fact, Ginny's shock was so severe, it looked as though Harry was going to beat Ginny at chess for the first time.

"Harry," she finally whispered, staring at the board. "That girl…it might take a while."

"I know. It's your move, Weasley."

Ginny moved her chessman, but she knew that wasn't the only meaning behind Harry's words.

**Authors Notes: **

Thank you, Jocjarmom for the speedy edit and for questioning my logic. (Becomes quite scary when my readers know my story better that I do!) She contributed several lovely tidbits to this chapter, including the entire bit about Ron/Draco and the naked Hufflepuffs.

'Essex shlag' is entirely the fault of Cloz! If I offended anyone, I'll happily send you off to her!


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Restoration

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 15: Restoration**

To say that Harry and Draco made tense Potions partners would be an understatement.

Professor Snape had refused to allow them switch partners and watched them working together with a vast amount of sick amusement in his eyes. The boys grunted and growled their way through their assignments, bumping against each other in an almost brutal way, and speaking only when necessary.

Harry was dying to ask Draco about his recent visit to Azkaban to see his father. He just had to know if Draco had learned any more about the cryptic threats against Ginny alluded to in Lucius Malfoy's letter. Harry had already asked the Headmaster, but he had received one of Dumbledore's infuriatingly vague and only marginally helpful answers. Likewise, Draco was very curious about Harry's continued Occlumency lessons with Snape; he wanted to know when Harry would be ready to try to invade Voldemort's mind.

One day on the way out of class, Harry's curiosity finally got the best of him.

"Malfoy," he called back to Draco, outside the Potions classroom.

Draco stopped, turned and quirked an eyebrow.

"Azkaban… how did it go?"

"Not here," Draco hissed and motioned for Harry to follow him. He led him deep into the dungeons to an unused classroom. Draco shut the door and performed a silencing charm on it.

"Say Potter, why don't you make an announcement over the WWN? I don't think everybody in Hogwarts heard you ask about my father's new residence."

"Malfoy, I think it's been established that YOU are the one who uses poor judgment when speaking of private subjects in front of a crowd, so sod off."

Draco snorted and looked away. Then, he eyed Potter warily and said, "If I tell you what I learned, I want you to agree to include me when you try to contact the Dark … er, Voldemort."

Harry glared at Draco icily, "It's really not your business."

"It _IS_ my business, Potter," Draco said vehemently. "I care for her. She may choose not to believe that, but it doesn't change the fact that I don't want to see her killed…or worse. I can be useful, you know… I know more about Dark Magic than you suspect I do."

"I'm sure you know quite a bit," Harry said tersely.

"Well, I know even more than that. I was raised with it."

"Are you saying you're willing to fight against Voldemort?" Harry asked acidly.

"No. I'm saying I'm willing to fight to protect Ginny. Let's just say I don't necessarily have the same confidence in your ability that others do. I'd rather be involved and make sure you don't get her killed."

"I'd never put her in danger!"

"Just knowing you is a danger! I'm not an idiot, Potter. I sat through my father's trial; I heard them talking about a prophecy involving you. I also heard whispers around Grimmauld Place all summer. Granger's had her head stuck in book after book, looking for ways to harness the 'power of love'. By the way, she's never going to find what she's looking for in Hogwart's library. That lot is under the ill-conceived illusion that you're the savior of the Wizarding World, and even Ginny believes it. I think she'd be foolish enough to sacrifice herself for this cause."

"Alright," Harry said cautiously, "tell me what you learned from your father and you can be involved when I'm ready to make contact."

"And when will that be?"

"I don't know. Soon, I hope. Now, what did your father say?"

"Seeing as he's indisposed at the moment, he's not up to date on all the specifics. But it seems Voldemort's interested in Ginny because she has the proper bloodlines and she'd be a good breeder."

"You make her sound like a horse!" Harry gasped in disgust.

"Not my words. What doesn't make sense is why Voldemort would be interested in breeding. He's not the type to want an heir, he's immortal. He wouldn't want the competition."

"He _thinks_ he's immortal."

"That's right, I forgot. You're planning to kill him with a big, wet kiss," Draco said with a roll of his eyes.

Harry ignored him and continued his train of thought.

"We have to concentrate on protecting Ginny from the curses that would be used to control her. What would they be?"

"Binding curse would be the most convenient; one curse would supply all the necessary elements," said Draco, with a defeatist tone in his voice.

"Yes," Harry said impatiently, "but you have to be a virgin for that to work, and it seems you've made sure she's already protected against that. So, what other curses could be used against her?"

Draco was stunned momentarily, but then decided to answer the question.

"Well, it's a very complicated procedure. You'd need a curse to paralyze the breeder, another to stupefy the mind to make it susceptible to the instructions of its master; another to protect the breeder from invasion by anyone other than its master, and finally, one to prepare the breeder for fertilization. But Potter, unless you're a very fast worker, which I doubt, Ginny's not protected against a Binding curse."

"But you…" Harry's voice cracked with shock.

"I didn't lie," Draco quickly interjected, "although I may have made insinuations I shouldn't have."

Harry greeted that comment with a dark glare.

"I'm not proud of myself," Draco added, "and I'm paying the price."

Neither boy was eager to pursue this line of conversation.

"Then we need to learn more about Binding curses," Harry said firmly. "In the letter, your father mentioned using a Binding curse to protect her."

"No, Potter. He mentioned using one to 'keep' her, there's a difference. A Binding curse isn't about protection or love; it's about ownership and dominance. If you'll recall, he cautioned that the result would not be satisfying."

"What does that mean?"

"It means you're not to contemplate for a second using one on Ginny to 'protect' her," Draco snapped. "Ginny should know she's in danger," he added quietly.

Harry turned to him coldly. "She's dealing with quite a bit at the moment, Malfoy. I think the news that your Dark Lord regards her as prime breeding stock can wait for another day."

"Fine, I've had enough of you for the day anyway. Don't let anyone know I'm helping you." Draco stopped at the door. He seemed to be uncertain as to whether to ask his next question.

"Potter, how is she?"

"She's getting over you nicely," Harry said tightly.

"I suppose you're always there to comfort her?"

"That's what friends are for," Harry said, with a satisfied smirk.

"It's been three weeks and she still hasn't talked to me. Please tell her I'm sorry, as she won't let me do it myself."

Harry nodded and Draco exited.

The news that Malfoy hadn't been Ginny's first was a shock, and also a thrill to Harry. From Malfoy's taunts at the Quidditch match to Ginny's devastation in the Tree, Harry had been sure they'd slept together. He now found himself wondering if she would ever open her heart to him, and if she could ever feel as much for him as she obviously did for Malfoy.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Ginny had never been more excited in her life. She felt she'd found where she belonged.

In an effort to keep herself busy and keep her mind off certain boys, she'd buried herself in her studies. When that proved insufficient to occupy her, she found herself in the hospital wing with Neville. He'd been working on cataloging herbal specimens provided by Professor Sprout, and creating potions in the hope of reversing the damage done to his parents when he was a baby.

The Healers at St Mungo's, though skeptical about any hope for a cure, humored Neville by administering some of his herbal potions to his parents, or at least the ones that seemed harmless. However, so far, all of Neville's attempts had proved fruitless.

Ginny threw herself wholeheartedly into Neville's research project, reading every book she could get her hands on. Although she'd always gotten good grades in Herbology, it had never been her favorite subject. Now, she was incredulous that it was so easy to read and retain knowledge when she found the subject so enthralling.

She also spent many hours with Hermione, discussing her research on residual magic. Hermione suspected the protection given to Harry by his mother's death had left traces of residual magic in Harry's blood. Ginny surmised the same thing was happening with Neville's parents and that a residual trace of dark magic left in their blood was preventing Neville's potions from being effective. But how did one cleanse the Dark Magic from their blood? That was the dilemma currently occupying Ginny's mind.

Well, not the only dilemma of course. Ginny still had world-class boy trouble.

She found the pain of Draco's betrayal was diminishing daily. She'd often catch herself smiling as she remembered something witty he'd said or something sweet he'd done. She found herself missing him. She still couldn't bring herself to talk to him though, but knew she couldn't avoid him forever. He'd become quite talented at putting himself in her line of vision, daring her to deal with him.

And then there was Harry. What to do about Harry? Had he really told her he loved her? Sometimes she wasn't sure. His behavior towards her hadn't changed at all. Well actually, that wasn't true; now, he sometimes allowed himself to openly flirt with her, and then laughed when she was rendered speechless, blushing and tripping over her own feet. But he made no demands on her.

How did _she_ feel about him? She was so accustomed to keeping Harry out of any conscious romantic thought, that it was somewhat painful to allow herself to even think of him in that way. Old feelings were resurfacing and old wounds reopening. She knew it wasn't Harry's fault that he hadn't returned her feelings in the past. After all, it wasn't until her fourth year that she'd finally begun to speak with him, but that didn't make it any easier to cope with. But that little box in the corner of Ginny's heart where she'd stuffed away all her feelings and hurts and hopes about Harry Potter was slowly… slowly… being pried open.

"Ginny, aren't you done yet?" Harry whined; she had promised him a game of Exploding Snaps hours ago.

"Shhh, just let me finish reading this bit, I'm almost done." Ginny was reading an exciting Muggle book about human physiology that her father had sent her.

"You've said that ten times all ready!" Harry pouted. "You've gotten worse than Hermione."

"Honestly, Harry!" Hermione snapped from the chair before the Gryffindor fireplace, shot him a dirty look, and then returned to her book.

"I'll play with you Harry," Ron chuckled, from the floor in front of Hermione. "I don't know how we got stuck with these two; they're no fun at all lately."

"No, thanks mate, I'll stay right here." Harry was unwilling to give up his spot lying on the sofa, resting his head on Ginny's lap. Occasionally she would rest her free hand on his chest, unconsciously tracing small circles with her fingers. She would remove her hand abruptly whenever she realized what she was doing, but Harry wasn't about to move.

"So Hermione, have you gotten any further with Carina de Florette?" Harry asked glumly.

"Nope, not a thing. Everything I've read indicates she developed incredible and powerful spells, but none of the books go into detail."

"I just remembered…" Harry said suddenly, "Malfoy said something the other day. He said you'd never find what you're looking for in the Hogwarts library. I didn't pay much attention at the time because we were talking about something else, and also because he said it in that 'I'm-superior-and-know-everything' way of his. Pretentious plonker. Anyway, now I wonder what he meant."

"What were you and Draco talking about, Harry?" Ginny asked, her attention suddenly extracted from her book.

"Oh…er, you know… potions stuff," Harry covered quickly, although no one believed him, least of all Ginny.

"He doesn't know anything, Harry," Hermione grumbled, "he's just blowing smoke out his arse."

"Hermione!" Ron shrieked in mock shock and genuine amusement. "Language, love! Shocking!"

"I'll see if I can squeeze something out of him in class next week," Harry resolved.

"Hermione!" Ginny suddenly gasped. "I just had a thought… what if Neville used a tincture solution for administering his potion? Wouldn't that get the magic to the blood supply more effectively?"

"What is he using for a base now?" Hermione asked.

"Dragon's blood and Murtlap urine," Ginny said, grimacing a bit.

"Blimey!" Ron groaned. "If I'm ever unconscious and can't complain for myself, _please _give me my medicine mixed with Fire Whiskey rather than Mutlap urine! I beg of you."

"Ron, hush," Hermione chuckled. "You're not helping. That's a really good idea, Ginny… Neville should definitely give it a try."

"Excellent! Thanks, Hermione," Ginny said proudly. "Alright Harry, I'll play with you now," Ginny said, snapping her book closed and putting it aside.

"Y'know, I don't want to play anymore. I think I'm comfortable where I am, thanks." He tilted his head up to look at her and grinned slyly. "Are we all going to Hogsmeade together next weekend? You know… as a group… a friendly group." Harry addressed himself to the others, but he never took his eyes off Ginny.

"Yeah, whatever," Ron grumbled, too busy trying to distract Hermione from her reading to pay attention.

"Sure, sounds good," Hermione added, while slapping Ron's hand away from her thigh.

"Ginny? You in?" Harry asked, still staring at her.

Ginny nodded, blushing. "Okay, but I have to do my Christmas shopping. I haven't even thought about it yet."

"Excellent," he said grabbing her hand and returning it to his chest. He relaxed his head and closed his eyes with a contented sigh.

Ginny watched Harry's face as he slowly relaxed and fell asleep in her lap. Her left hand involuntarily found its way to his hair, stroking his head. Everything with Harry was so easy, so comfortable that it was easy to forget how good he made her feel.

Ginny found herself staring at his lips, trying to remember the feeling of Harry's kiss in the Bower just a few months before.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

One day while having her morning fly with Harry, Ginny spotted Draco walking by the lake. She waved Harry along and told him she'd meet him at breakfast, and then sped toward Draco in the distance.

Ginny landed her broom in front of the surprised Slytherin.

"Hi," she said quietly.

"Young lady," Draco nodded with a gulp.

"I was told you'd like to talk to me."

"Yes, although I'd practically given up." Draco walked towards Ginny until he was very close, looking down at her. Ginny tried to step away, but she couldn't; her legs refused to obey her brain. He was like a planet with his own gravitational pull.

Draco touched Ginny's cheek gently. "I've missed you," he said, his voice full of longing. Ginny's eyes were locked, looking straight ahead, staring at Draco's chest. Ginny removed Draco's hand and, using every bit of resolve she could muster, took two steps backward.

"Tell me what you wanted to say," her voice quivered.

Draco's mood shifted slightly, the longing was gone. He assumed a more businesslike demeanor.

"I want to say I'm sorry. I was cruel and stupid. And I let Potter provoke me, not that it's his fault; I wish I could blame him."

"What do you mean?"

Draco shrugged, and seemed to mentally change course.

"We knew it wouldn't work, Gin. It doesn't matter how much we wanted it to."

Ginny looked up suddenly and met Draco's eyes.

"I didn't _know_ that, Draco. I thought we were doing well. In fact, I would have never… done what I did with you if I didn't believe in us." Ginny's gaze fell back to Draco's chest. "But you never believed in us, did you?"

"I tried. I wanted to."

"At first I was angry because I thought you were pretending with me just to get to Harry, because you hate him so much."

"No," Draco said adamantly.

"But then I realized that you weren't pretending."

"What made you see that?"

"You didn't have sex with me. You could have. If you'd been using me, you would have."

"Oh."

"Why didn't you?"

"Why didn't I what?" Draco asked, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Have sex with me. I asked you to." Ginny smirked. "I think I begged you," she added with a grimace.

"Several times," he chuckled smugly. "But you weren't in the proper mindset to make that decision. I'd worked you up a bit."

"I remember," Ginny blushed. "Is that the only reason you didn't?"

Draco was quiet for several seconds. "No," he said softly.

"Why else?"

"I didn't want to know… I didn't want to know what it was like to have you, when I knew you couldn't be mine to keep. It didn't work though… I still know how you feel and how you taste. I still know what sounds you make, and all that tortures me."

"Draco, did it ever occur to you that I could have been yours? That if you had believed in us, I would have been yours. And you probably wouldn't have behaved as you did."

"No, I don't believe that ever occurred to me," Draco said flatly.

"You said you loved me."

"I did." Draco resisted the urge to step towards her. "I do."

"This doesn't make any sense."

"I don't think it's supposed to make sense Ginny. It's all a muddle. Half of me knows we're not meant to be, the other half wants me to beg you for another chance. I don't know what to do."

"Please don't beg for another chance, I couldn't take it. Let's just let it go."

Ginny lifted her teary gaze to Draco pleadingly, and he nodded.

"Let's go to breakfast." Draco led the way to the Great Hall. They walked back together in silence, but not an uncomfortable silence.

As they entered the Great Hall together, they fell under the gaze of many, not the least of which was Harry.

"Ginny," Draco said as she took her seat, "please come back to Friday rounds; your brother's a cretin," he commented, to spite the fact that Ron was sitting right there.

Ginny laughed.

"I'll see what I can do; Ron may not want to switch, as he's grown quite fond of you," she said ignoring Ron's growl.

"I'm sure," Draco drawled, before he returned to his own table.

"Please tell me you're not getting back with the Ferret," Ron groaned miserably, as Harry continued to eat his breakfast, pretending not to care about Ginny's answer.

"No," Ginny responded slowly. "It was just something I had to do before I could move on."

Harry stopped drinking his pumpkin juice mid-gulp. He looked at Ginny, but she was carefully looking in the other direction. But still, there was something about the way she was looking in the other direction that gave Harry hope.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Harry and Ginny had a wonderful shopping day in Hogsmeade village. They had started out as a foursome, but Ron and Hermione suspiciously disappeared five minutes after they arrived in town. They both giggled at the image of Ron and Hermione sitting beneath a confetti-bearing cherub at Madame Puddifoot's coffee shop. Ginny wasn't sure if this was Harry's doing or not, and she found she didn't really care.

For the first time in a long time she didn't think of him as her friend first. He was a boy, a hot boy… a hot boy, who when he thought she wasn't looking, stared at her in a way that made her tremble and her heart stop. She was sure she'd spent the entire day beet-red and tongue-tied, but Harry didn't seem to mind.

Harry also didn't seem willing to make a move. He would hold her hand, but that was nothing new. When Ginny bumped up against him suggestively in Zonko's Joke shop, he budged over to give her more room. When she ran her finger sexily along his cheek, he asked if he had a smudge on his face. When she rubbed ankles with him under the table in the pub at The Three Broomsticks, he apologized and moved his leg. He wasn't going to make this easy... he was going to make her say it. She tried several times to say something, but always seemed to revert into a babbling first-year mode when she tried, never managing to say anything coherent. Harry just smiled at her ineptitude politely and changed the subject.

Through the fog of her besottment, Ginny was able to successfully complete her Christmas shopping; she even managed to sneak off and quickly buy Harry's present. After several failed attempts to express her renewed feelings to Harry she finally gave up, deciding she wasn't ready yet.

They only had two weeks left to the term and Ginny became engulfed in end-of-term activities and revising for exams.

Ginny had resumed her Friday rounds with Draco. After several tense and quiet hours, they fell into friendship surprisingly easily.

Though he wouldn't talk about it, Ginny suspected that Draco was receiving pressure from the dark forces to declare his allegiance. When she learned that he was planning to spend the Christmas holiday at Grimmauld Place, she immediately invited him to the Burrow instead.

"You want me to spend my Christmas with Scarhead and Githead and your eighteen brothers in a place called 'the Burrow'?" he laughed. "I think I'd rather take tea with the Dark Lord, thank you."

"You don't have to be mean, you git! I'm trying to be nice. Why don't you go to Pansy's then?"

"It's not safe; Pansy's parents aren't exactly neutral. I don't even want her to go there."

"Fine, but you should at least come to the Burrow for Christmas dinner. Don't bother to say 'No'. I'm going to tell my mother to invite you as soon as I get home and you can deal with her. You'll be at Christmas dinner," Ginny smirked.

Draco smiled, and seemed to concede. "Thanks, Ginny."

"Where's your mother?"

"Visiting cousins in Italy somewhere. She won't be back for some time."

Days passed quickly for Ginny, and every day had one constant… Harry. He was always in her thoughts, and her daydreams and night dreams were getting rather… interesting too. Sometimes she thought she should forget about words and just attack him. Boys like that, didn't they? But Harry seemed to be waiting for words.

Harry's last DA meeting was scheduled two days before the end of term. Ginny was a bundle of nerves, as they had been working on the Patronus Charm for two sessions and she still hadn't managed to produce more than a vague puff.

Draco had been able to produce Spike for them several times. Spike was a huge, ferocious dragon who seemed particularly fond of shooting fire at Ron. But once Spike determined there was no imminent danger to Draco, he became quite playful and cuddly before evaporating into mist. Much like Draco, Ginny chuckled to herself.

Ginny, however, was hopeless. She was getting nowhere with her Patronus and sensing her frustration, Harry began to help her.

"I have trouble holding onto my happy thought. I think I have it, but then it floats away from me," she complained.

"I know what you mean," Harry said sincerely. "You can't just think about it, you have to feel the happiness, Ginny, you can't be afraid of it. It can be scary to believe in it sometimes, because it hurts if it's taken away. You have to risk the hurt."

Harry stood behind her and placed one hand on her waist and the other on her wand hand and whispered softly in her ear, "Try again. Think of what makes you happy, Ginny."

Ginny muttered the incantation and tried to follow Harry's instruction, but she was a bit distracted by the feeling of him pressing against her from behind.

Suddenly a huge bolt of fire burst from the wand and a large silvery blue bird flew from the flames.

"I did it!" she squealed, leaning back into Harry's arms.

"You did," he said squeezing her. "It's perfect for you too… it's a phoenix."

"Why would that be perfect for me Harry?" she turned to him and asked.

"It's just you…" Harry stammered, a blush rising on his cheeks. "It's very beautiful, with extraordinary strength, and magical healing powers. It's you."

Ginny suddenly went weak-kneed. She couldn't wait a single moment longer… she had to find a way to tell him. She reached out, touched his shoulder, and began to speak. But before she could say a word, a burst of energy shot forth between them and formed a smoky ethereal ring around them. The ring of energy grew outward until it encompassed and affected everyone in the room. Everyone stood frozen, watching Ginny and Harry.

"What in Merlin's name is happening?" Pansy whispered to Draco.

Draco sighed. "Just the inevitable."

"Damn! That felt like a little orgasm!"

"Come on Pans, let's go. I don't need to watch this," he said as he began to lead her, winding their way through the motionless students, out of the Room of Requirement.

"Alright," Pansy said cautiously, watching Draco's guarded expression. "Let's go find someone to take rounds for me tonight. We can play chess or something."

Draco brightened suddenly. "Strip chess?" he whispered hopefully.

"I don't feel that sorry for you, Malfoy."

"Oh, but you should," Draco said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm in quite a lot of pain here, I need comforting."

"Sod off, you tosser!" she laughed and shoved him off her and then ran off toward the dungeons.

"Hey! How do you know what an orgasm feels like, Parkinson?" he called as he ran after her.

Hermione stood watching the proceedings between Harry and Ginny, her eyes growing ever wider with excitement and her grin splitting her head in two.

"Hermione," Ron whispered to her, "did you feel that? What the bloody hell was that?"

"Shhh…just watch," she admonished as Ginny took another step toward Harry, their eyes were locked on one another, everyone else in the room had disappeared to them. As Harry placed his hands on Ginny's waist another, even larger wave of energy burst between them and expanded throughout the room.

"Blimey, I can't take much more of this Hermione," Ron shuddered from the ecstasy of it all. "What is that?"

"That's pure love, Ron."

"Okay," he smirked. "Look Mione, I know you love those saucy Muggle romance novels as much as the next witch, but somehow I don't think that's why you look so happy. What does this mean?"

"It means we've got him. It means we've got what it takes to kill the bastard," Hermione whispered, mostly to herself.

"What the bloody hell are you on about, woman?"

Harry suddenly came back to earth and realized the entire D.A. was transfixed by Ginny and himself. So, he extracted himself from his stupor long enough to address the room.

"That's all for today everyone. Have a Happy Christmas," he announced quickly and then returned his attention to Ginny.

"Harry, I have something to tell you, but I'm having trouble saying it."

"What would that be Ginny?" he whispered into her hair as he enfolded her in his arms.

"Harry, would you mind looking for yourself?" Ginny pulled away slightly and looked into Harry's eyes.

Harry was slightly hesitant to follow Ginny's wish. He didn't want to learn that she didn't feel as strongly for him as he felt for her, but curiosity finally overcame his insecurities and he looked into her eyes and heart. At this point someone should have stepped in and cautioned Harry that a man would never be able to truly decipher the mind of a woman in love, but ignorance is bliss, so Harry proceeded.

What Harry saw there nearly overwhelmed him. In an instant he saw every time he'd made her laugh and every time he'd made her cry. He saw the remnants of her schoolgirl hero worship, now just dusty memories. He felt her pain, fear and uncertainty, all pushed away by her hopefulness. And above all he felt her love for him, the strength of it bound together everything that was Ginny; he was part of her in a way he had never suspected.

"Ginny, I never knew."

"Harry… that girl… I think she might be ready."

"Good…I'll be sure to tell her next time I see her," Harry said as his lips descended onto hers."

**Authors Notes:**

Thank you once again to Jocjarmom, for your quick and thorough beta, for your many additions to the text and also for your continual…erm…encouragement to get writing! (You're still a distant second to Cloz in the nagging department BTW.)

And to dearest Cloz, thank you for being my Brit-picker, and of course for the incessant, constant and most entertaining nagging.

I believe I got the concept of residual magic from a story called 'After the End', which can be found on sugarquill. It was the very first fanfic I ever read and I still remember it fondly as one of my favorites.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Christmas

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 16: Christmas **

In the days leading up to Christmas Harry and Ginny spent countless hours together in Ginny's Bower. Harry had been eagerly awaiting their return to the Burrow and to the private sanctuary where he first began to fall in love with Ginny. Although it was cold and snowy outside, the Bower protected them from the elements… it was almost like looking out from inside a snow globe, only in reverse.

They took their time adjusting to the new relationship, and the Bower helped in this regard. Although lying together in the hammock provided intimacy and privacy, it was logistically difficult to do anything more than kissing.

Harry was very cautious in his exploration of Ginny, both physically and emotionally. He didn't want to rush her and most of all he didn't want to jeopardize the friendship that had come to mean everything to him. But, even Harry Potter had his limitations and he was currently exploring his way down the buttons of Ginny blouse.

When he unfastened the third button, his fingers found a smooth crystal on a chain around her neck. She had returned Harry's crystal to him before they returned to the Burrow. He stopped kissing her to look at it.

"They gave you an emergency Portkey too. I didn't know that."

"Mmmm," Ginny acknowledged while nuzzling his neck, trying to encourage him to return to his previous activity. "I don't know why, must be because I spend so much time with you."

"I suppose," Harry mumbled, mentally kicking himself for never warning Ginny about the danger she was in. Obviously, the Order had never told her either.

"Harry…you're allowed to touch me," she whispered, placing Harry's hand over her perfect breast.

Harry resumed his kissing duties, while his fingers made quick work of Ginny's remaining buttons and then his hand returned to Ginny's breast. What he felt was impossibly soft and magnificently smooth and Harry interrupted another kiss to look at what his fingers were feeling. When Harry realized what he was looking at he paused, and his jaw clenched almost imperceptivity.

Ginny was wearing the most exquisite sapphire brassiere Harry had ever seen. Even to his inexperienced eye, he knew it wasn't anything that Ginny could have purchased for herself. The unwelcome thought ran through his head that Ginny may as well be wearing a sign saying 'MALFOY WAS HERE!'

"Harry? Is everything alright?"

"Hmm?" Harry snapped out of his introspective pout. "I was just thinking about how beautiful you are. It's hard to believe we're finally together."

Ginny only half believed him, but she chose to not pursue that conversation directly.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, Gin?" He tentatively began to trace his finger in small circles over the fabric of her bra, and felt her nipple harden beneath it. It aroused him immediately.

"Have you talked to Ron about him and Hermione?"

"How do you mean?" Harry asked cautiously, tenderly kissing her neck.

"You know… boy talk, about what they get up to."

"No!" Harry said adamantly. "I don't want to know about that, Gin!"

"I think they've done it, you know, don't you? He is such a hypocritical git!" Ginny grumbled.

"Ginny," Harry whined, "don't tell me that!"

"I can't help it… he's such an arse! He goes all ballistic when he thinks that I've done it at the Three Broomsticks and then he turns around and bonks Hermione."

"Ginny! Please, no!" Harry begged. Thinking about Ginny's exploits with Malfoy, as well as the private activities of his two best friends did not set the appropriate mood.

"Get over it, Harry. I want to talk about this."

"Alright," Harry groaned, stopping his finger from its circular path. "I didn't realize you were still so pissed at him, it was almost two months ago! He didn't mean the things he said to you Ginny. He was just obsessed about the Quidditch match and worried that you'd get hurt. Besides, he and Hermione are in love. I don't think Ron can even begin to fathom that what you had with Malfoy was real." Harry thought, but couldn't bring himself to say that he felt that way too, but Ginny knew the truth.

"It was real, Harry," Ginny said wistfully. "It was complicated, but it was real." Ginny looked into Harry's cautiously guarded eyes before continuing. "We didn't… you know… have sex. You probably think we did. Everyone else does."

Harry didn't think it wise to mention his previous conversation with Draco on this topic, so he nodded.

"You spent the night with him in a tavern Gin, so it's the logical conclusion. You must have done more than sleep," Harry said testily, pulling his hand completely away from her breast.

"We did... in a way, we made love but we just didn't have sex. It all gets a bit semantic, I suppose."

"Yeah," Harry growled uncomfortably, while wondering where this conversation was leading. His arousal was now completely gone, and she'd just told him way more than he wanted to know.

"Have you, Harry? Did you and Daphne…"

"No," he interrupted, "not even close. It wasn't fair to her; I liked her, but I only ever thought about you."

"Oh," she said, overwhelmed with emotion, but also surprised by how relieved she was. "But then, why don't you…I mean…except for just now, you hardly ever touch me. At the house you never touch me, and here we only kiss. I'm not complaining, I love kissing you," she added quickly.

"I just don't want to rush you. And back at the Burrow, well, it's your parents' house; they've been so good to me. I can't maul their only daughter under their roof, as much as I'd like to. I don't want to force you into anything you're not ready for. I don't want to be like him…"

"Oh Gods, Harry! You're still talking about Draco. Why is it that no matter _who_ my boyfriend is, there always seems to be three of us in the relationship? Why can't this be about just you and me?"

Harry shrugged.

"I'll go through this once! Draco is _not_ a monster, no matter how much you believe him to be. He never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do; in fact, he's the one who slowed us down most of the time…"

"Alright then," Harry interrupted, completely tired of this topic. "Can we stop talking about the Ferret and go back to what we were doing? I promise I'll be less of a gentleman."

"Good then," Ginny grinned, pulling his head back down to her level. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you… Draco's coming to the Burrow for Christmas tomorrow."

"WHAT?"

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

When Draco flued into the kitchen of the Burrow on Christmas morning it took every ounce of his willpower to not turn around and flue back to Grimmauld Place.

_What the Bloody Hell am I doing here? _

He looked around at the much patched and wobbly furniture and inhaled the many delicious scents wafting from the oven; the cluttered, treacley hominess of the place made him uncomfortable in way that he'd never experienced before. Even the shabby but cheerful Christmas tree made him wonder if he'd gone completely around the bend. He was accustomed to elegant, perfectly trimmed Christmas trees accompanied by proper celebrations attended by all the _right _people.

_And to think I'm avoiding yet another summons by the Dark Lord to be HERE._

"Draco!" Ginny shrieked, as she ran into the room and threw her arms around him.

"Hello, Young Lady," he said, returning the hug, as a wide, involuntary grin spread across his face. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas! Are these for me?" she asked relieving him of the now crushed packages in his arms.

"No! Not all of them anyway. Keep out of them, you moppet! Where is everyone anyway? I thought this place would be swarming with Weasleys."

"They're all out playing Quidditch," she said grumpily. "Bloody sexist if you ask me. I'm stuck in here with Mum and all the boys get to go out to play."

"Yeah…it's an outrage. Quidditch you said?"

"Yes, and I have strict instructions to send you out as soon as you get here. Ron despises you, but he still wants you on his team. You can use my broom; it's by the door over there."

"Excellent," he said glowing. "I'll see you in a bit, then."

"Be careful," she called after him. "You haven't experienced dirty Quidditch until you've played a Weasley game. The Gryffindor-Slytherin match can't hold a candle to a Weasley game. We use it to purge old grudges, so it can get quite bloody, and you have quite a few enemies out there."

"Sounds better and better!" he called over his shoulder as he jumped on Ginny's Firebolt and sped towards the pitch.

Later that afternoon Ginny was horrified by what she saw returning from the Quidditch pitch.

On one hand, the boys were all jovial and laughing. On the other hand, Harry and Draco were so covered in blood as to be almost unrecognizable.

"Merlin! What have you done to each other?"

"It's nothing, Gin. Just a little fun," Draco chuckled as he patted her on the head in passing.

"DRACO!" Ginny screamed. "Do you know that your nose is sitting sideways on your face right now?"

"Is it? How 'bout that! Good work Potter! Gin, your dad put a pain-free charm on us so we could keep playing. I didn't even notice."

"DADDY! How could you let them beat-up on each other like this?"

Mr. Weasley shrugged. "They seemed to be having a good time, Kitten. Sometimes boys just have to work these things out amongst themselves," he said as he rummaged through the potions cabinet."

"Daddy!"

"Unfortunately we're going to need your mother to put them back together though… this is her specialty. Molly!" he called up the stairs.

"Thathhhh's a good luk fa ya Mahoy…not ho poohy!" Harry tried to say as blood drooled down his chin.

"You wish I were a poof, Potter," Draco retaliated.

"Harry!" Ginny gasped. "Where are all your teeth?"

"White here," Harry grinned toothlessly as he showed a horrified Ginny a fistful of dislodged teeth and Draco collapsed laughing.

"MUM! HURRY!"

"ARTHUR WEASLEY! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Mrs. Weasley shrieked, sending all the able bodied Weasley men scrambling to the far corners of the house. "You were supposed to be refereeing this game!"

Mr. Weasley blanched, and immediately shifted gears. "You've never seen such shocking behavior, Molly! You boys should be ashamed!"

"Really, Arthur! Is this how you're planning to deal with all of Ginny's boyfriends? Just let them murder each other in the garden?"

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," Mr. Weasley mumbled weakly as he too fled the room.

Mrs. Weasley and Ginny made quick work of putting the boys right again. Draco and Harry continued to spar verbally over the kitchen table during their healing ministrations, but Ginny noticed that something was different in their countenance; their words were harsh and often cruel, but there was an edge missing in their tone. If she didn't know better she might have mistaken it for friendly banter. Ginny tried to make sense of it all, but she came to only one conclusion.

"Boys are weird," she grumbled under her breath.

"Yes, dear," her Mum agreed, the edges of her mouth twitching a bit. "Right then, you boys are fixed. You have half an hour till dinner. Now get out of my kitchen."

"Malfoy!" Ron called from the lounge. "Chess?"

"In a bit," Draco answered. "I have some business with your brothers first."

"Which brothers? And what business?" Ginny asked.

"I'll play with you, Ron," Harry called and departed to the lounge.

"Fred and George, and it's none of _your_ business, Young Lady," Draco teased as he pulled a leather bound portfolio from the bundle of packages he'd brought with him. "They said I should meet them in their old room, so would you kindly show me where that would be?"

"No. Not until you tell me what this is about."

"This isn't exactly a mansion, Brat, I'll find it myself," he said as he bound up the stairs with Ginny in pursuit.

"Harry," Ron said cautiously. "You at all concerned that your girlfriend just headed to the bedrooms with Malfoy?"

"Not really, no." Harry said, concentrating on the chessboard.

"Why not? I wouldn't let Hermione alone with him, and she hates him. Gods, I wish she were here! Why'd she have to spend Christmas with her parents, anyway?"

"First, I trust Ginny, she loves me, and I know that. Second, Malfoy's a chess player and he won't make a move until he sees a way to win the game; timing's all wrong for him. And third, they're Hermione's parents Ron… she has to visit them occasionally. By the way, your attempts to distract me from our game are not working. "

"Is this your room, Weaslette?" Draco smirked as he barged through Ginny's door. "Look at all the pictures, aren't we popular?" he taunted, eyeing the massive photo collage of Ginny with her school mates. "You don't have any of me though. I'm hurt; after all we've been through together."

"No one's allowed in my room, Malfoy," Ginny pouted.

Draco continued to peruse the room, picking up items at random. "I bet you let Potter in whenever he wants. If you'd just tell me where the twins are, I wouldn't resort to snooping. But as you won't tell… I'll bet you have a diary around here somewhere. The past few months should make some interesting reading over dinner with your family," Draco snickered as he started to rummage through Ginny's bedside table.

"Alright! Come with me!" Ginny grabbed Draco by the ear and tugged.

"Damn, Gin! I hate it when you do this!" Draco shrieked as he was led from Ginny's room.

Once inside the twins' room, he managed to shove an unwilling Ginny back outside and shut the door behind her.

"I assume the two of you already have adequate security on this door, yes?" Draco asked the two very curious looking twins.

Fred and George looked at each other approvingly.

"He doesn't underestimate us," said Fred.

"We like that," George finished.

"What I want to propose to you today, gentlemen, requires the utmost secrecy. It could get me killed and could either make you very rich men or send you to Azkaban. Do you wish me to continue?"

"Our curiosity…" said Fred.

"…is peaked! Do go on," encouraged George.

"My secretary and I have been reviewing Malfoy holdings over the past several months. There are several companies I have decided to close, either because they are not profitable or for a variety of other reasons. One of these companies has an extensive inventory of raw material that I need to liquidate. It's not material I can sell openly, and honestly it's not the sort of stuff I would like to see end up in the wrong hands."

Draco handed the twins the portfolio he had been carrying. "Do think the two of you could do anything with the items on this list?"

Fred and George let out a simultaneous low whistle.

"These are all…"

"… Class A1 …"

"… Ministry Regulated…"

"… highly dangerous…"

"… used to make nasty Dark Magic…" said Fred with a glint in his eyes.

"…but, could also be used in other ways…" continued George, with an equally mischievous expression.

"Fun ways…"

"The things we could do with this, Gred…"

"… are endless, Forge."

"But…alas…"

"… can't afford them…" Fred handed the list back to Draco.

"I never said anything about money," Draco smirked. "If you're interested, I think we can make an equitable business arrangement. I could consider this an investment."

"You know Gred, the Ferret is starting to grow on me."

"I agree, I think our little Ginny may've had a positive influence on him."

"Whatever your sister and I shared has nothing to do with my political tendencies, I assure you. Let's leave Ginny out of this."

"What are your terms, Malfoy?"

"Ten percent of the gross profit for the first three years in which a product developed with my ingredients is on the market, five percent in each subsequent year."

"Gred?"

"Forge?"

"Deal Malfoy," they said simultaneously.

"Good then, I'll have my firm draw up the contracts."

"But, You-Know-Who…"

"… won't be pleased."

"It's fairly obvious…"

"… these were being used…"

"… to promote his own brand of mischief."

"Voldemort - " The twins flinched at the sound of his name. " - is going to have to learn to live with disappointment," Draco said darkly. "The Malfoy estate will no longer be supporting him."

"That means you're on our side!"

"That means I'm neutral," Draco said firmly. "I believe your mother said dinner should be ready about now. I've been raised to not keep my hostess waiting."

The three wizards stood and shook hands.

"Keep your head down, Malfoy."

"This could get ugly for you."

"I know."

Christmas dinner went very well, with everyone having a good time and behaving themselves as best as could be expected. Ron grumbled a bit about the newly formed mysterious alliance between Draco and the twins.

"I was looking forward to them turning him into a garden gnome," he grumbled. "Something's not right here."

Unfortunately, while everyone was enjoying their pudding and opening presents, Mr. Weasley interrupted.

"I'm sorry everyone, I've just received an emergency summons. All Order members are to report to Grimmauld Place. And Draco, I think you should return with us, for safety's sake."

The Weasley family sprang into action, preparing to leave.

"Don't worry about the mess Mum. Harry, Ron and I will clean up."

"Thank you, dear. Don't stay up too late," said Mrs. Weasley, before she and the elder Weasleys slipped through the flue.

Ginny gave Draco a hug goodbye.

"Thanks for inviting me, Gin. I had fun, I mean it."

"You're welcome. I guess I'll see you back at school then. I wish I knew why they called the meeting. I hope nothing's terribly wrong."

"Nah. They do this all the time, they're a twitchy crew. Don't worry," Draco kissed her forehead and disappeared into the fireplace.

Harry, Ginny and Ron finished the washing up and then Ron grumbled something about owling Hermione before disappearing to his room.

Harry flashed Ginny a mischievous grin, which worried her a bit.

"Hey, Ginny."

"Yes, Harry?" she asked with a smirk.

"I have an extremely special Christmas present for you. Didn't I promise you something yesterday?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

Harry chuckled at the bright shade of red that Ginny's face had turned and he fixed his most intense gaze on her, willing her to crumble. Unbeknownst to Harry, it was the same tendency that Malfoy loved… that Ginny could go from brazen and confident one moment, to shy and blushing the next.

"Something about being less of a gentleman, I think?" he asked while rubbing his hands along her ribcage and allowing his thumbs to stop and caress the sides of her breasts.

"Oh… that… has… possibilities," Ginny said mentally kicking herself, because her brain had seized up on her.

Harry kissed Ginny tenderly while backing her up against the sofa, removing her jumper and unbuttoning her blouse. Harry sat on the sofa and pulled Ginny down to straddle his hips, all the while, kissing her and swiftly relieving her of her bra. Maneuvering on a sofa was so much easier than in a hammock, and Harry was soon lavishing Ginny's breasts with kisses, nipping and suckling until she moaned with pleasure.

"Oh, Gods… Harry."

"Lie back," he commanded, while gently easing her down and then removing his own shirt. Harry lay with her and continued to explore her very slowly. Ginny returned his kisses passionately and he was quite sure she had left a bruise or two on his neck. Harry worked his way down her torso, learning every curve of her breast and angle of her ribcage. His tongue laved over her stomach and bellybutton until the subtle undulation of her hips encouraged him to unfasten her jeans and further his exploration.

It wasn't until Harry sat up to help remove Ginny's jeans that he looked around and his senses returned to him.

"Ginny, we have to stop."

"What?" she squeaked.

"This is your parent's house, I can't do this here. And Ron could come down for a late-night snack at any moment. It's not right."

"What?" she repeated helplessly.

"I'm sorry… I'm going to bed. Good night." With that, Harry pulled himself away, grabbed his shirt and bolted from the room.

Ginny collapsed back onto the sofa in a daze, trying to wrap her muddled mind around what had just happened. How could he leave her hanging like this, so unsatisfied? Suddenly she knew what she must do.

"This isn't over, Harry Potter," she mumbled and made her way to her own room.

A little while later Ginny appeared at Harry's bedroom door.

"Harry?" Ginny whispered in the darkness.

Harry turned toward her voice, and in the moonlight he beheld the vision that had ensnared his dreams for months; the sight of Ginny with her hair loose around her shoulders, wearing that rattiest of Chudley Cannons shirt and boxers that barely had the will to stay on; Harry's body reacted instantly. The sleeves of the shirt had recently been torn off and the tank top was so worn and small it left absolutely nothing to the imagination. She approached his bed with an innocent smile and a naughty twinkle in her eyes. Harry unconsciously wrapped his covers around him more tightly.

"Gin… this isn't a good idea," he croaked, as she tugged the blanket away from him and crawled into bed with him.

"I'm cold," she whimpered pathetically. "You don't want me to be cold, do you?" She snuggled up against him and Harry cursed himself for not putting on his pajamas, he was wearing only boxers.

"Gin… your parents…" he protested.

"Are gone," she interrupted. "Won't be home for hours. Just Ron in the house, and he sleeps like the dead."

"But…"

"… it's their house, I know." Ginny finished for him, and then she ran her tongue along the rim of his ear and nibbled his earlobe.

"Yes, and…"

"… they've been very good to you." She ran her hand over his chest, teasing each of his nipples lightly and fingering the outline of the crystal around his neck.

"YES!" he tried to protest again. She ran her smooth leg up, between Harry's legs and when her thigh met his hips she smirked to discover that although he was protesting loudly, his body certainly wasn't. She left her leg there, while her fingers continued to play with his chest and she attacked his neck with her mouth; Ginny used every weapon she had to shatter Harry's willpower.

"And you really shouldn't disrespect them by sullying their beloved virginal daughter."

"Yes! I mean… no! Oh, Gods!"

"I want to be good to you too, Harry," she murmured in the sultriest voice she could manage with a straight face.

Harry blamed Malfoy for this! Where did innocent, blushing Ginny go? He didn't want to think about the details too deeply, but he was sure it was his fault!

"Oh! Bugger!" Harry exclaimed as his last shred of resolve crumbled.

Ginny squealed with glee as Harry grabbed her and rolled until he had her pinned happily beneath him.

The crumbling of the last of Harry's resolve also brought down the last vestiges of shyness or reservation, and it brought forward the lust he had been holding at bay for months. Ginny gasped in pleasure at the intensity of Harry's attentions, a hundred fold over just a few minutes ago. She suddenly realized how completely she had relied on Draco to be the keeper of self-control, and she had no idea if Harry had the same intention or ability.

"Mmmm… Harry, wait…" Ginny gasped, when she was finally given a chance to breathe. She rolled out from under him and straddled his hips.

"Harry, wait… I have an idea… I know you don't want my parents to think you took advantage of me."

"Not caring about that at the moment, Gin," Harry said reaching up to grasp the lovely breasts teasing him through her shirt.

"But you're the victim here, Harry," Ginny giggled as she removed Harry's hands and placed them over his head, while undulating her hips in a way that made a helpless cross-eyed groan escape Harry's lips. "You were safely tucked away in your own bed, when a wicked and shameless girl attacked you. Isn't that right?" Harry tried several times to touch Ginny, but each time she removed his hands and placed them above his head. Then, she let her hand roam into Harry's boxers to assist her hips in the task of driving him further over the edge.

"Wicked," groaned Harry. "Wicked, bordering on evil at the moment. Please, Gin, let me touch you, please."

Ginny nodded her acceptance and Harry's hands returned to her body, one to her breast, while the other slid inside her underwear.

Ginny groaned as her hips began to move in time with Harry's hand. "Oh Gods, that's nice Harry." Ginny's hands smoothed over Harry's chest as she leaned over him to concentrate on the intense pleasure he was giving her while Harry's second hand joined the first in administering to her. Her eyes closed and her groans came louder and faster as her hips reacted more violently to Harry's efforts.

"Oh yes… please… Oh Harry…yes…ahhhhh."

"Let yourself go, Gin," he said in awe, he had never seen anything as beautiful as the sight of Ginny above him moaning in pleasure that HE was giving her, and he redoubled his efforts.

Ginny's body convulsed in ecstasy, and a joyful scream emanated from her core, but just as she reached her peak she unwittingly grasped Harry's chest and the crystal hanging around his neck.

"Ginny! NO!" Harry screamed, but it was too late, the crystal had broken and the tug of the Portkey activating merely intensified the shudders streaming through Ginny's last nerve and her screams heightened as their bodies passed instantly through time and space.

The first sensation that Harry felt was the cold hard stone of the Grimmauld Place kitchen floor beneath his bare back.

The second sensation was that of severe panic as he let his eyes wander about the room to realize that he was the center of attention in a meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. He quickly recognized the white face of Ginny's father, the red face of Ginny's mother and the grey face of Professor McGonagall. Bill and Charlie also wore shocked expressions. In fact, no one in the room looked terribly healthy at that moment except, of course, Professor Dumbledore and the Weasley twins, who looked as though they had received a belated Christmas present.

The third thing Harry noticed was the fact the he couldn't move; Ginny was still straddled on top of him, her thighs squeezing him as though he were a bucking horse. She was squeezing so tightly he found it difficult to extract his hands from Ginny's underwear. Ginny was frozen; pale and lifeless her eyes locked in Professor Snape's death-glare. It was as if she were in a catatonic state.

"Ginny," he whispered desperately. "Ginny, love, you have to get up… Ginny I can't move."

Just as Harry's panic began to get the better of him, rescue came from an unlikely source; Fred swooped in and quickly lifted Ginny into his arms and then George pulled Harry to his feet and firmly lead him out of the kitchen. They were out of the room before any other witness of the incident had the time to gather their senses and react to what they had just seen.

Fred brought Ginny to the nearest bedchamber on the first floor, that one being the same room which Draco was currently occupying.

"Bloody Hell! D'you people ever hear of knocking?" Draco shrieked groggily as he sat up in bed and tried to adjust his eyes to the sudden light in the room.

"Ginny!" Draco exclaimed, as Fred deposited her limply on the foot of the bed and tried to get her attention to focus, but she was completely unresponsive and just curled into a fetal position, never acknowledging anyone around her.

"What's wrong with her? And why is she half naked?" Draco then noticed Harry in the room, clad only in boxers. "Potter, what did you do to her?" he growled as he burst out of the bed to confront Harry.

"Sod off, Malfoy," Harry blustered in desperation, as he pushed past Draco to get to Ginny. The last thing Harry needed right now was to answer to Malfoy for his actions.

Before Draco could react, George stepped in and gently but firmly guided Draco out of the room. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone for a moment, shall we? Come with me outside and I'll bring you up to speed."

"Gin… Gin, are you alright?" Harry asked once they were alone, but Ginny was still unresponsive and only curled into a tighter ball.

"Ginny, I'm so sorry. Please let me help you!" Harry pleaded, but to no avail. After several minutes of attempting to rouse Ginny from her stupor, Harry gave up. He was sure Mrs. Weasley would have something to help Ginny, but dreaded asking her.

Harry found Draco waiting outside the room as he exited.

"Any luck?" Draco asked.

"No, she's not responding. I'm going to her mother to get a draught. I'm surprised she hasn't been up here already."

"Fred and George are fending off the in-laws Potter, trying to give you a few more minutes to live. But do, go talk to them if you like," Draco smirked.

"Ginny needs a draught, I don't have a choice," he said glumly.

Draco looked at Ginny's limp and unresponsive body on the bed.

"You're right, go get the draught. But wait, you idiot, don't go traipsing about the house in your underwear. Come here."

Draco rummaged through his trunk and pulled out a pair of jeans for Harry and some adjustable trakkie bottoms for Ginny.

"Hey Gin, which jumper do you think I should give Scarhead, here?" Ginny didn't react. "Come on Gin, I've got one with a great Snake on it, and the other is the _lovely_ one your Mum gave me for Christmas." Draco held up the two jumpers with a grin. "Actually I'll give the snake to Potter, and the Christmas jumper to you Gin, then I'll have no chance of getting it back. Everybody wins!"

Draco tossed the clothes at Harry who put them on with reluctant gratitude. Draco then put Ginny's clothes on the bed and sat down next to her and began to stroke her hair.

Harry glared suspiciously at Draco, as if unwilling to leave her alone with him.

"Go get the draught, Potter. Now!" he hissed and Harry reluctantly left.

"Come on Weaslette! That's enough! This is silly! On your feet, get a grip on yourself!" Draco commanded as he pulled Ginny up from her prone position on the bed. When she didn't seem willing or able to stand on her own two legs he softened a bit and hugged her tightly.

"Please, Gin," he whispered softly to her. "It's not that bad… quite nauseating, but not tragic." This seemed to do the trick…it not only pulled Ginny out of her stupor, it also enraged her.

"Not that bad? NOT THAT BAD?" she screamed as she pushed Draco away, stood on her own feet and turned her anger on him with tears running down her face. "What the bloody hell does that mean? I just had a screaming orgasm, on a kitchen floor, in front of every adult I know! Including my parents and four of my brothers! Fred and George were there for Merlin's sake! They're being sweet now, but they won't forget about this any time soon! No one will! NOT THAT BAD? How could it be worse?"

"Well," Draco said calmly and quietly, stepping towards her and gathering his arms again. "Well, it _could have_ been worse, you weren't actually…" Draco paused to steel himself against the images running through his head. "You still had your knickers on, didn't you? And your shirt, such as it is. You weren't actually…" Words failed him; he decided to take another tack. "At least it was the Golden Boy you were riding home. It could have been me. _That_ would have been worse! Imagine the heart attacks in the grand old Order if they'd seen some of the things we've gotten up to."

Draco chuckled as Ginny lifted her tear streaked face from his shoulder in horror. "I would've loved to have seen the look on Snape's face down there! He must have been positively puckered! Or McGonagall's!" He was relieved to see Ginny crack a smile and chuckle a bit. "That's my good girl," he said kissing her forehead.

"Here Gin, I have a draught for you," Harry said cautiously as he reentered the room to find Ginny in Draco's arms.

"She's alright now, Potter. Ginny, go to the loo, get dressed, and wash your face." Draco said while turning Ginny away, pressing the clothes into her arms and pushing her towards the door. "And throw away that disgusting shirt! It's positively indecent!"

"Don't tell her to throw away that shirt!" Harry shrieked once Ginny had left the room. "I love that shirt! Been watching her grow into it for years!"

"Perv. If you insist on using her for eye-candy, at least buy her something suitable at Madame Malkim's."

"Yes, I do believe I've seen your idea of 'suitable' on her," Harry said snidely, and then, suddenly feeling light-headed, sat abruptly on the bed.

"Lucky you," Draco quipped dryly. "Potter? Potter, you alright? You've gone an odd shade of puce, suddenly."

"Oh fuck! Fuck! I don't believe what just happened! The Weasley's are going to hate me! Well, that won't matter, because they're going to kill me first."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Merlin. Could you have your anxiety attack somewhere else? I want to go to bed."

Harry ignored Draco and continued his own train of thought. "I don't even know what happened, suddenly she was there and I tried to stop her… I think, but she…" Harry suddenly realized who he was talking to and stopped. "I'd better go."

"Please, do."

As Harry left the room Draco stopped him.

"Potter, you do realize what _else_ happened here tonight, don't you?" Draco asked with a Slytherin smirk.

"What are you on about Malfoy?" Harry sighed.

"Tonight, you couldn't comfort her. I did."

"So?"

"Don't you see? Do you know what I have?"

"A big ego and a bad attitude?" Harry snapped.

"Besides those," Draco drawled.

"What, Malfoy? What do you have?"

"The Power Position. It's mine now," he chuckled. "You didn't think I was going to fade into history like a polite ex-boyfriend should, did you? I'd appreciate it if you left, Potter, I'm tired. You should take your girlfriend home and put her to bed. Alone." Draco said smugly, as he got into bed and extinguished the lights.

Harry stood there in disbelief… Ginny was right. No matter _who_ her boyfriend is, there always seems to be three people in the relationship. And now, Malfoy was waiting in the wings for Ginny when _he_, Harry James Potter, fucked up so he could reclaim his position as Ginny's boyfriend. It left a major pit in his stomach when he'd thought it could be no worse.

Harry collected Ginny, and in order to flue back to the Burrow. Luckily the meeting seemed to have disbanded. Fred told them to go to bed, and he said that Ginny's parents were with Professor Dumbledore and wouldn't be home until late.

"Of course, they'll want to see you both first thing in the morning though," Fred added with a chuckle. Still numb and in shock, they flued back to the Burrow.

"I'm so sorry, Gin," Harry whispered desperately outside Ginny's bedroom, as he returned her there. She had still not said a word to him.

Finally, Ginny broke her silence. "It's not your fault Harry, I'm the one who started it. I'm the one who broke the crystal. I'll make sure my parents know it wasn't your fault, don't worry."

"I don't care about that, Gin. I mean, I do but are you alright? Are we?"

"Of course we are, Harry. I was just embarrassed, but I was never angry with you. In fact, what happened between us was absolutely lovely." Ginny stood on her toes and gave Harry a tender kiss. "Go to bed, Harry, and try to get some sleep. We have to deal with my parents in the morning," she said glumly as she disappeared into the darkness of her bedroom.

Harry slept fitfully and morning came far too quickly. Harry dressed reluctantly and mentally prepared himself for a brutal day.

"Shall we face the firing squad together, Harry?" Ginny asked with giggle. Harry thought she looked wonderful, like she didn't have a concern in the world.

"Any idea how bad it'll be, Gin?" he asked as he took her hand and they started to the kitchen together.

"Don't know really. I'd say best case scenario we get a severe tongue lashing and some sort of disgusting household chore to complete. Worst case scenario, I get sent off to Beauxbatons next term."

"They wouldn't!"

"We'll know shortly."

They were surprised to find Hermione in the kitchen when they arrived, sitting next to an ecstatic and doting Ron.

"Hermione! What are you doing here?" Ginny asked happily.

"She's come for the fireworks, just like us! Right, George?" Fred quipped as he piled his plate full of eggs.

"I received an owl from Professor Dumbledore in the middle of the night, telling me I might be needed here this morning," Hermione said vaguely.

"Morning, Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley said as she entered the kitchen, she looked pale and drawn, like she hadn't a moment of sleep. Harry thought she looked as though she had the weight of the world on her shoulders suddenly. "Morning, Ginny. I trust you both slept well? Harry, Mr. Weasley is in his study, he'd like a word with you."

Ginny smiled supportively as Harry as lumbered towards the study.

"Ginny, a word please," her mother continued. Ginny gave the snickering twins a withering glare as she followed her mother out of the room.

Twenty minutes later they both returned to the kitchen table, Ginny looking thoroughly pleased and Harry looking thoroughly confused. Mr. Weasley also joined them, tucking into his breakfast full of visible relief.

"Well? How'd it go?" Ginny asked in a whisper.

"Fine, just lots of nonsense about adult responsibilities and respect. No yelling at all. I don't understand," Harry whispered back, utterly confused.

"Same with me, and she gave me this." Ginny reached in her pocket and pulled out a vile. "It's contraceptive potion. Incredibly odd… they're being unusually cool."

"Too cool," Harry added suspiciously, then in a full voice and an accusatory tone turned to Mr. Weasley and said, "Wait a minute. That's it? You're just handing us a contraceptive potion and telling us to run along? That is _not_ what normal parents do!"

"Harry!" Ginny whispered fiercely. "What's wrong with you? Are you mad? This is a good thing! Let it go!"

"No. There's something else going on here, something they're not telling us," Harry insisted. "Tell me, Mr. Weasley. You were talking to Professor Dumbledore last night, what did he tell you?"

Mr. Weasley glanced pleadingly at Hermione, who took the opportunity to step in.

"You're right, Harry. There is something you and Ginny should know. I've been noticing changes in you since the summer, your ease at memorizing lessons, and all of your magical powers. Harry, have you noticed that your power corresponds to your relationship with Ginny? The closer the two of you become, the more your power seems to grow. I think Ginny's power is beginning to grow as well."

"Have you gone 'round the bend Hermione?" Ron scoffed. Then, he looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I suppose there is that energy thing."

"What are you both talking about? What energy thing, Ron?" Harry asked in a breathless tone.

"Well, sometimes, when the two of you are together you kind of create a palpable energy," Ron said almost apologetically. "Like at the D.A. meeting after Ginny conjured her first Patronus."

"That's insane, Ron." Ginny whispered.

"If you don't believe me, ask your friend Malfoy. I'm pretty sure he could feel it; personally, I think that's why he buggered off so easily."

"So we have chemistry, so what?" Harry said impatiently. "What are you trying to say Hermione? Ginny and I may be cute together, but I know this isn't about my love life. What is this about?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I think, and Professor Dumbledore agrees, that you and Ginny are soul mates."

"Uh-huh… and?" Harry asked coldly.

Hermione's voice became very quiet as she continued; she had always predicted that Harry wouldn't take this news well. "And the research that I've been doing all year, about Carina DeFlorette trying to harness the power of love? The missing ingredient is the power that you and Ginny can generate. With _that_ we can kill him."

"You think I'd use Ginny like that? You've been planning to use Ginny all along?" Harry said visibly shaken and obviously approaching the edge. "No! She's my girlfriend, _not_ my comrade-in-arms."

"I can be both," Ginny added defiantly.

"No." Harry turned on Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, he was shaking and his face was red, his rage was barely contained. "Is this what Dumbledore told you last night? That your daughter is destined to be some sort of secret weapon against Voldemort?"

"Something like that," Mr. Weasley said quietly.

"And so now you're willing to sacrifice your only daughter to _the cause_." he spat harshly. "Like some sort of virgin sacrifice. DON'T YOU SEE HOW SICK THAT IS? IT'S AS BAD AS WHAT THEY DO ON THE OTHER SIDE!" Harry's control was gone and he had tears openly rolling down his cheeks.

"Harry, wait. It's not that bad," Ginny tried to soothe him.

"NO, GINNY! No, I won't let you. Don't you see… you're all I have? Our love is the only thing I have that has nothing to do with him! I won't let them turn it into a weapon."

"Harry, you don't understand…" Hermione tried to explain.

"No, Hermione! We'll find another way, or I won't be involved!" Harry stormed from the Burrow, out into the cold.

"You're wrong Harry," Ginny said softly to the door he'd just disappeared through. "Voldemort's bound us together from the beginning."

"Blimey," Ron said in shock. "The poor bloke can't even get a snog without the problems of the Wizarding World hitting him in the face."

"It was a bit more than a snog we were privy to yesterday, little bro…but I see your point," Fred quipped.

Ginny continued to stare at the door.

"_Neither can live while the other survives,"_ she mumbled to herself.

"Ginny," Mr. Weasley said quietly, "you do realize your mother and I have no intention of losing you?"

"I know, Dad. Harry didn't mean it either, he's just upset, we'll bring him around. We're all going to have to do things we'd rather not. But loving Harry doesn't seem like a very great sacrifice to me."

**Authors Notes:**

I just want to give a quick, sincere and enthusiastic thank you to Jocjarmom for the Beta, as usual; you've made my story better.

And I will forgo any further pithy comments so that I can get this posted 2 minutes earlier. I know I've kept you all waiting. I hope it was worth the wait.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Connections

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 17: Connections **

Everyone returned to Hogwarts after the New Year, and the professors began to prepare the fifth year students for their O.W.L.S in earnest, hence they piled on the work. Ginny, however, noticed she could handle the load quite easily. Hermione had warned her that she, like Harry, might begin to see an increase in her magical powers as well as her powers of concentration. Hermione reckoned that Ginny was slower to realize these changes because her feelings for Harry had been repressed for so long, and it wasn't until she began allowing herself to love Harry freely again that her powers began to develop as well.

Ginny found it ironic that these powers, which were a by-product of her love for Harry, should appear just when she'd managed to alienate him. Well that's not true, Harry was still there, they just managed to not be alone together anymore. Ginny wasn't sure if Harry was doing the avoiding, or she was. But they'd managed to get through the first week of the new term without even a kiss. Occasionally their eyes would meet from across the dining table or across the Common Room and they could both feel the love, longing, and pain the other felt. Inevitability, one of them broke the gaze and moved on. Ginny knew they needed to talk, and Harry knew they needed to talk, but neither knew what to talk about; their problems were bigger than they were prepared to handle.

Once again, Ginny buried her problems in the Hospital Wing with Neville. He was extremely excited upon his return to Hogwarts. Their theories that residual Dark Magic was impeding any hope of recovery for his parents had proven to be correct, and Neville had spent his holiday at St. Mungo's administering a new potion to the Longbottoms. The potion had been only modestly successful in helping them purge the Dark Magic from their bodies, but this was enough to spur Neville on, although the Healers repeatedly warned Neville not to expect too much. Nevertheless, his hopes were high, and he was ready to delve into developing a stronger potion to give them.

Unfortunately for Neville, Ginny used their long hours together to vent her spleen about her troubles with Harry, and as a consequence Neville learned much more about Ginny and Harry's love life than he ever needed to know. He got into the habit of repeating the mantra: "You really should be talking to Harry about this, Gin."

To which Ginny always answered, "I know."

The first week of term ended uneventfully. Ginny was eating dinner at the Gryffindor table with her friends; however, all of Ginny's attention was focused on the Slytherin table. There was something amiss over there, and it took Ginny a minute or two of staring to decipher what it was. The first thing she noticed was that Draco and Pansy were sitting a bit closer to each other than they normally would, and then she noticed the friendly squeezes that were the norm between them had been replaced by lingering caresses, sometimes venturing northward to the neck or even the ear. Ginny figured she was glad Draco had moved on; after all she had moved on herself, and even though she and Harry were a bit tense with each other at the moment following the mess she'd made of Christmas, they were still a couple… they just had a few issues they needed to work out.

But there was still something odd with the Slytherins, so she kept staring at them while she ate her dinner. Harry and Ron were busy arguing strategies for their upcoming Quidditch match against Hufflepuff and Hermione had her head in a book and a hand on Ron's upper thigh, so Ginny had plenty of time to stare undisturbed. Suddenly she saw it!

"It's Astrid!" she gasped, finally drawing the attention of her friends.

"What's that, Ginny?" Hermione asked.

"Look! Astrid's sitting way down at the end of the Slytherin table, as far away from Draco as she can possibly get. Now that I think about it, she's been doing that all week, ever since we returned from hols. Why is she doing that?"

"Gin, she's just sitting with other first years, so what?" Harry shrugged. It was one of their first direct exchanges in days.

"Astrid would never sit with other firstys by choice… she loved the status that being by Draco's side gave her," Ginny insisted.

"Status? Sitting next to Malfoy? Are you insane?" Ron mocked.

"You do not understand how things work over there, I'm telling you something's wrong! I know it."

"Gin! He probably just told her to bugger off," Harry supplied.

"He's told her that a hundred times, and she's never listened before."

"Well then, he probably did something horrible to her to finally convince her," Ron added.

"Draco wouldn't do that!" Ginny insisted.

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes and shook their heads.

"Ginny," Ron began delicately, "just because Malfoy is capable of being nice to a girl he's trying to pull, doesn't mean he's like that with everyone. He's still a git, Gin. Why are you so blind to that fact? Just ask Andrew Rhys-Jones what Malfoy and company did to him a couple days ago. They locked him in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom after they'd worked her into a lather. Myrtle scared the crap out of him!" Ron chuckled in spite of himself.

"Draco wouldn't hurt Astrid," she continued to insist. "Never mind, I'll ask him myself," she huffed, and finished her meal in silence.

Later that evening, Draco came to fetch Ginny for rounds and the two of them fell into their usual playful banter. This was practically the only time she'd had a chance to talk to him; their paths didn't cross much during a normal school day. While they were dating, she would see him all the time, and it made Ginny realize just how far out of his way Draco had been going to see her.

"What's this I hear about you picking on Gryffindor firstys?"

"Oh, Merlin!" he groaned.

"Really Draco, how am I supposed to defend you to Ron and Harry and convince them you've changed if you keep behaving like that?"

"WHAT?" Draco exploded. "First, Weaslette, I don't give a Hippogriff's shite what those two think of me! And I certainly don't want you defending me to them. Second, I never told you I'd changed; as I remember, you dumped me for being the bastard you've always known me to be."

"And it seems I made the right choice there," Ginny grumbled.

"Third!" Draco continued adamantly. "The little shite deserved what he got! It seems some Gryffindor idiot has been spreading around that theory of your brothers about Slytherin girls' virtue. The little bugger's been sniffing around our girls like a hellhound in heat. We figured we'd take him out before the girls really damaged him. Can you imagine what would have happened to him if he tried something with Astrid?"

"It's still not a nice thing to do to Myrtle," Ginny grumbled sheepishly. "She has enough problems."

"She owes me; I don't complain when she spies on me in the Prefects bath. And fourth!" Draco continued indignantly. "I have a reputation to maintain. It's bad enough all the blokes think I went soft on the goody-goody Gryffindor Princess. The only reason I got away with it is because every one of them wants to get their hands in your…"

"GOODY-GOODY? Who thinks I'm a goody-goody?"

Draco stared at her blankly. "In Slytherin? Who doesn't?

"You think I'm a goody-goody?"

"Er… yeah… you are… you're nice… you'd get teary-eyed cleaning up a Bundimun."

"I opened the bloody chamber! I was weaned on trouble-making by Fred and George! I've broken detention records for snogging! We've…we've…we've…" Ginny couldn't quite finish that thought, so she moved on. "YOU THINK I'M A GOODY-GOODY?" Ginny couldn't remember the last time she was so incensed. This meant war!

"Don't take it so hard, Weaslette. Small potatoes to a Slytherin," he said, egging her on, because he was enjoying her fit. "Some of the blokes used to think you were quite a teasing goody-goody. However, my company did a lot to improve your reputation there. But now, unfortunately due to your recent poor taste, you've reverted back to Perfect Potter's goody-goody girlfriend. Sorry."

"Fine," she spat through her teeth, "we'll move on." Ginny stomped ahead of him, winding her way through the dungeons in silence.

A half hour later, Draco couldn't take the silence any longer.

"Come on, Gin. I know you're not **that** pissed, I've called you worse."

"No Draco, I'm not pissed at all," she said sweetly. Her revenge had been formulated and she needed only to bide her time until she implemented her plan… she was ready to move on. "Guess what?" Ginny continued, wanting to change the subject.

"You're expecting me to **guess**, Weaslette?" Draco groaned impatiently.

"Fine. Be a poop. Harry's arraigned for Ron, Hermione and I to get Apparition lessons, and him too of course!"

"Oh," he said in a bored tone.

"**And** when we're done, we'll be allowed to take the test even though we're underage! Isn't that exciting?"

"Thrilling, should help cut down on shagging session embarrassments. Always thinking, that Potter," Draco drawled.

"No one's shagging, Draco! Well, actually, I think Ron and Hermione are, but…"

"OH! BUGGER! Don't tell me things like that!"

"Aren't you at all jealous that I'm going to have my Apparition license before you?"

"No, I'm not, because you won't," Draco said smugly. "I'm already of age, remember? I've been taking private lessons for months, and I'll have my license in a matter of weeks. Quigley and my private security team insisted on it," Draco chuckled at Ginny's pout. "Gin, I don't want to spend another dreadful summer hiding under the skirts of the Order in that awful house. They'll start expecting my loyalty if I rely on them any further. "

"Where will you go?" Ginny asked.

"Malfoy Manor, where I belong," he said decisively.

"Draco! It's not safe there… the Death Eaters know it too well!"

"Don't worry, Gin. Everything's being taken care of, Mr. Quigley's very thorough."

"But what'll you do? Putter around in that huge house all alone?"

"Ginny, you do remember that I'm the heir to the Malfoy estate, don't you? I have a thousand employees, dozens of properties and more than several companies to run. I won't be bored… I have a lot to learn."

Ginny looked at Draco thoughtfully for a moment. "I like that Mr. Quigley; I think he's having a positive effect on you. Maybe you have changed a bit."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Merlin, you sound like my mother."

Ginny suddenly remembered what had been bothering her all week.

"Hey, Draco, what's with Astrid?"

Draco stared at Ginny blankly. "No idea. Why?"

"Don't you think it's odd that before Christmas hols she was your constant shadow, and now she avoids you like the plague?"

Draco shrugged. "Honestly, I hadn't thought about it. I'm just grateful I don't have to check for booby-traps in my bed every night."

"But don't you care? Aren't you curious why she seems afraid of you suddenly? Did you do something to her?"

"Nothing worse than anything she's done to me! Or you! Gin, just be happy she's finally making friends her own age."

Draco withered under Ginny's disapproving glare.

"Alright! I'll talk to her if it'll make you happy. I'm sure she's just gotten over her crush on me and moved on," he huffed. "There's a lot of that going around these days," he grumbled under his breath.

"Speaking of your love life! You and Parkinson seem chummier than usual lately. Are you together?" she teased.

"Maybe. I don't suppose we could change the subject?"

"Draco! You're blushing!" Ginny chuckled, and then she gasped. "You are together! **And** you've done more than kiss her, haven't you?"

"I've had a rather painful experience with kissing-and-telling recently Weaslette," he reminded her sternly. "I've learned my lesson. I must insist you change the subject. Never mind! I've got one for you! You never did tell me about the fallout from Christmas, with Potter and his magic fingers! Did you get into deep shite?"

"No," Ginny muttered, suddenly glum.

"NO? Come on! Not even Perfect Potter could squirm his way out of that one! What happened?"

Ginny wasn't inclined to relive the events following Christmas, especially with Draco.

"I've decided I don't have good luck, I get caught far too often," Ginny pouted. "I'm thinking of joining one of those covens who sequester themselves on a small island somewhere and live a celibate life, devoting themselves to the Gods."

Draco laughed outright and had to stop walking briefly to gather his breath again.

"Weaslette," he chuckled, when he could speak again. "You're a puzzle to me in many ways, I'll admit that, but one thing I know for certain is that **you **were not meant to live a celibate life."

"I'm not sure that's a compliment," she said sharply.

"It is," Draco looked at her warmly, in a way she hadn't seen in months. Then he gulped, and seemed to think twice about what he wanted to say, but continued anyway. "You let yourself feel, and you let yourself respond to those feelings; that's rare. To someone like me, who wasn't raised with a lot warmth or affection, it's very special. Please don't change." And then, Draco cleared his throat and snapped back into his normal snarky tone and drawled, "Well, except you may want to work on your self-control the tiniest bit, especially when you're with Potter. Now stop avoiding the subject… tell me how you and Potter evaded a month of detention. I need, yet another, reason to hate him."

Ginny paused for a moment and looked at Draco warily.

"Draco, do you feel something when Harry and I are together?"

"Sure! Revulsion, nausea, headaches, cramping in my…"

"DRACO! Seriously! Hermione said we sometimes create an energy…since the summer. Ron said so too. Have you felt it?"

"Yes… loads of times," he admitted grudgingly.

"Hermione and Dumbledore think we're soul-mates."

Draco stopped suddenly and whipped around. "And **that's** why she's been researching Carina de Florette! You keep getting sucked deeper and deeper into this, don't you?"

"I've been in over my head since I started writing in a dairy first-year. Neither you nor Harry seem to realize that! Why do you seem to know so much about Carina de Florette?"

Draco walked a bit faster, pulling ahead of Ginny and staying silent, the corridors were very quiet, without so much as one set of snoggers in sight."

"Draco, now you're avoiding the subject. Why do you seem to know so much about Carina de Florette?" Ginny insisted, once she had caught up with him and slowed him down.

Draco stopped walking and looked at her quietly for a moment.

"Ginny, I have to tell you something…I should have told you long ago, but it never seemed to be the right time."

"What then?"

"It's bad."

"Draco! Tell me."

"On my birthday, when I took control of the Malfoy estate, I received a letter from my father. He insinuated that the Dark Lord has plans for you."

"What plans? We were dating then, why didn't you tell me?"

"We didn't tell you at first because we didn't know anything."

"WE?" she asked coldly. "Harry knows too, doesn't he?"

Draco nodded. "And Dumbledore."

"Tell me everything, Draco."

Draco ground his teeth, led Ginny to sit in a nearby staircase and proceeded to tell her all he knew about Voldemort's plans and Harry's preparations to learn more through Occulmency. Ginny was suspiciously quiet when he'd finished.

"I just thought you had a right to know everything," he ended, and then Ginny remained silent for several more minutes. Draco put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "Nothing bad will happen to you. I'd die first," Draco promised.

"How can Harry keep insisting that I'm not part of this?" she finally asked in disbelief.

"You're what he's fighting for, Gin. If he loses you, he loses his reason to fight. Even I can see that."

They resumed their rounds, but they were quiet together until the end of their shift.

"Gin… well… um… if you don't mind my saying so… you might want to protect yourself against Binding Curses…" Draco grimaced slightly, "if you know what I mean."

"I'm not going to lose my virginity just to inconvenience Voldemort! That's **not **a reason!" she insisted petulantly.

"Right. I see what you mean. If I were you, I wouldn't want to screw Potter either," Draco drawled smoothly.

"DRACO!" she shrieked and then laughed involuntarily.

Draco began to back away as he headed toward the dungeons.

"But if you ever get tired of bargain-hunting and want to shop the top-shelf again, I'd be happy to perform the service for you," he winked.

"Draco! You're such an arse!" she called after him, laughing.

"Not like I don't know the territory!" he retorted before disappearing down the stairs.

Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room still chuckling.

"What's so funny, Gin?" Harry asked from the corner table, where he was sitting with Hermione. They looked as though they'd been working on another of Hermione's Portrait puzzles; she'd gone through several of them since her birthday.

Ginny's smile immediately faded as she remembered her current problems with Harry, as well as the secret he and Draco had been keeping from her.

"You two are up late," she said crisply, not moving from her spot by the fire.

"Come join us, Gin," Harry suggested softly. "Hermione's just been trying to convince me that I may have overreacted last week. I suspect she's right. She doesn't even know what your role will be in the final plan, so I shouldn't assume the worst."

"Oh, really?" Ginny asked tartly, approaching the table. "Tell me Harry, have you told Hermione about Voldemort's plans for me? Or do you really believe that keeping us both in the dark will make it not true?" Ginny asked acidly, her voice rising steadily.

"Malfoy!" Harry growled through his teeth.

"Yes, Malfoy! At least he agrees I should know the truth about the danger I'm in. AT LEAST HE REALIZES I'M INVOLVED IN THIS!" Ginny yelled.

"Ginny, I've wanted to tell you a dozen times. I swear."

"BUT THE TIMING WASN'T RIGHT! YEAH! I'VE HEARD THAT PART ALREADY!" Ginny's fury suddenly burnt itself out and she collapsed into one of the chairs next to Harry. "I only hope that Voldemort waits for 'the timing' to be right before he turns me into his Saturday night girl."

"What the bloody hell are you two on about? Somebody tell me… NOW!" Hermione demanded.

"Tell her, Harry! Tell Hermione what you've been keeping a secret for over two months!"

"Alright," Harry sighed. "Malfoy learned from his father that Voldemort has some sort of plan for Ginny. We don't know exactly what, or why, but we know it involves… we know it involves using her for breeding."

"Eeew," was Hermione's first reaction.

"Eeew is right," Ginny agreed.

"You should have told me this Harry," Hermione scolded.

"Ha!" Ginny sneered at Harry.

"How am I supposed to figure this out if I don't have all the information?" Hermione continued, giving Ginny a warning glare.

"I would've told you as soon as we had some information, but so far that's all we know. I've been practicing with Snape, and he's preparing me to enter Voldemort's mind. But he says I'm not powerful enough yet."

Hermione was quiet for several seconds as she formulated her thoughts. "But Harry," she finally continued, "this is what I've been trying to tell you. This is where your connection to Ginny can be used to make you stronger. With her help, maybe you are powerful enough."

Ginny looked at Harry hopefully. "And we could try it from the safety of Snape's office. I wouldn't get hurt. Please Harry, let me help."

Harry met Ginny's pleading eyes and nodded. "We'll go to Snape in the morning, see what he says. But, yeah, we can try."

Ginny smiled gratefully at Harry, and reached to squeeze his hand lightly.

"Hermione," Harry began, "would you mind excusing us? Ginny and I should talk alone," he asked without breaking his gaze with Ginny.

"Of course," Hermione supplied quickly. "It's past my bedtime anyway. See you in the morning."

"Thanks, Hermione," Ginny called as Hermione disappeared up the staircase.

"Sorry I yelled, Harry," she said sheepishly once they were alone.

"No you're not," Harry chuckled as he stood and pulled Ginny to her feet and gathered her in his arms. "I'm sorry I walked away at Christmas time. I should have dealt with this sooner. I'm just afraid of losing you."

"You're not going to lose me, Harry! Not if we work together. You have to see that!" Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck and kissed his lips softly. Harry responded immediately by pulling her firmly against him and intensifying the kiss. Ginny relaxed in his arms as he kissed her hungrily. He hadn't realized how profoundly this week without touching her had affected him, until he tasted her and felt her energy mix with his once again. Being near her was like coming home.

"Gods, I've missed you, Gin," he said, gazing into her eyes. "I love you, Ginny."

"I love you too, Harry. So much," she said, with tears welling in her eyes.

Harry led Ginny to his chair by the fire and pulled her down onto his lap, cradling her in his arms and kissing her all the while.

When a deep and satisfied sigh came from Ginny, a sound that reminded him of a kitten purring, Harry was spurred on. He loved listening to the sounds she made. So he let his hand run over her bare knee, which was slung over the arm of the chair, and then slowly he ventured further under her skirt, his fingers making small circles on the incredibly soft skin of her smooth thigh. He longed to taste that skin. When his fingers finally brushed the soft warmth of her knickers, Ginny pulled away slightly.

"Mmmm, Harry, we're supposed to be talking."

"Okay," Harry said, pulling her back for another deep kiss. "What did we want to talk about?"

"Us!" Ginny pulled away, just a bit further this time. "About you pushing me away, and not accepting that I'm involved.

"Oh," he said moving his lips to her neck since she'd made her mouth unavailable. "Okay, I won't do that anymore."

"Harry! This isn't a joke! I won't be left out anymore! Promise me!"

Harry paused in his amorous pursuits, for a moment, and looked at Ginny with all the love he felt glowing from his eyes.

"You know what Hermione said before you came back?" he asked, and Ginny shook her head. "We were working on that puzzle of hers, and she held up two pieces that were almost identical, but fit together. She said those pieces were you and me, that they completed each other and relied on each other and couldn't possibly fit with any other puzzle piece as well as they fit together."

"What are you saying, Harry?" Ginny asked breathlessly.

"I'm saying I can feel you making me stronger. I'm saying I can't do what I need to do without you. I realize that now."

"Oh, Harry!"

"But you have to at least let me try to keep you safe."

"Of course."

"And I don't want to think about it anymore, tonight," Harry whispered as he began nibbling on Ginny's ear and his hand resumed the caressing of her thigh. "I'd rather think about things that were abruptly interrupted at the Burrow Christmas night."

"Harry, we can't. We're in the middle of the common room," Ginny said weakly as she turned her head back to kiss him tenderly.

"Everyone's asleep," he said, as his finger slipped beneath her knickers.

"Mmmm… Harry… Oh… No… I can't…" Ginny said as forcefully as she could manage, while she stopped Harry's hand from distracting her. "You don't understand… I have bad luck with these things… I get caught."

"Ginny," Harry chuckled, "we were caught **once,** and it was just a freak accident."

"No," she said timidly, "there have been other times. Why did you think I had so much detention last term?"

"Oh!" Harry gasped, stiffening in his chair. "You're not talking about us. I guess I always made a point of not asking about your detentions. Thanks for clarifying," he said tartly.

"Harry, I want to be with you. You have no idea how much. Just not here."

"It's alright," Harry chuckled, his mood shifting suddenly. "I'd say it's time your luck changed then, don't you? I think you'd be impressed by how skilled I've become at evading detection during intimate moments."

"Why, Harry Potter, what are you saying?" Ginny giggled.

"I'm saying that, as you know, I've done a fair bit of snogging about the castle myself, only **I've** never been caught. You've just been keeping the **wrong** company," Harry grinned smugly.

"Have I now?" Ginny grinned back at him.

"Oh, most definitely, and I plan on proving it to you. But for now, it's very late, and we're going to bed." Harry heaved Ginny off of him; he stood and pushed Ginny toward the dormitory stairs.

"But, Harry, when?"

"Tomorrow night." Harry gave her one last kiss goodnight.

"It's a date," she grinned and ran up the stairs to bed.

The next day sped by quickly, Ginny rose early, to have her morning fly with Harry, and then she spent the bulk of her morning in the library studying. Following lunch she and Harry had a brief, extremely uncomfortable meeting with Snape. The professor mocked their idea of working together to access Voldemort's thoughts and had adamantly refused to participate in any such exercise. However, shortly after refusing to help them, an owl arrived for him summoning him to Professor Dumbledore's office. Snape swore and stormed out of his office, telling them to wait there and not to touch anything.

Of course, Harry immediately took advantage of the professor's absence to peruse his private potions cupboard. Ginny pleaded with him to stop, that he'd only succeed in enraging Snape so much he would refuse to ever help them. Harry just chuckled and said he was only thinking of her. Ginny was further appalled when she saw Harry pocket something from Snape's cupboard, but her protests were stifled by Snape's sudden return, Harry barely returned to his seat undetected.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Weasley," the professor spat, "you're to come to my office at 9 p.m. three times a week for the next three weeks. Starting tomorrow. We'll evaluate this ridiculous theory of yours for its merits."

"I take it Professor Dumbledore, saw it my way, didn't he?" Harry chuckled.

"Potter! Watch your tongue!" he snapped.

"Harry! Shhhh!" Ginny said, squeezing his hand painfully.

"Now, get out! Stop wasting my time!"

They needed no further persuasion to exit Professor Snape's office swiftly.

That evening, after dinner, Ginny was working on Hermione's Portrait Puzzle in the common room when Harry approached her with a guilty and giddy grin.

"It's all arraigned," he whispered. "Meet me in the Prefect's bathroom in twenty minutes."

Ginny looked at him, aghast. "The Prefect's bathroom? Are you mad?"

"See you there," he chuckled, as he exited swiftly.

Twenty minutes later Ginny found herself grumbling grouchily to herself as she made her way to the Prefect's bath. "Privacy! He promises me privacy and then directs me to the least private room in the school! I swear… boys are hopeless!"

When she arrived, her head immediately filled with a delicious spicy scent. Harry was already there, his shirtsleeves rolled-up because he had just finished filling the bath with hot water and those delicious smelling bubbles. There were dozens of candles cascading a warm glow about the room.

"Hi," he said invitingly.

"Harry, it's lovely… but…"

"Shhh," he whispered as he gathered her in his arms.

"…but, not private."

"Shhh," he tried again. "It's taken care of, we're all alone, I promise," he said sending light kisses down her neck and beginning to work on the buttons of her blouse.

"But you don't understand! I really can't be caught again! It's getting far too embarrassing!"

"Ginny, I swear, no one will come in here. Just us," he said, furthering his work on the blouse.

"But how?"

"Shhh," he whispered, as he backed her against the bathroom wall and kissed her soundly.

"But… Harry… how?" she continued to protest once she was allowed up for air.

Harry sighed heavily. "Let's just say I've struck a deal with Moaning Myrtle; she'll make sure no one comes in here tonight." One more button was released.

"Myrtle?"

"Yes… now shush… too much talking… I only want you to feel," he said as he finished unbuttoning her blouse while holding her firmly against the wall with his hips, his trousers already indicating the direction of the evening's activities.

"But Myrtle? Does she have her fingers in everyone's life?"

"Probably," Harry said with forced patience, "wouldn't you if you were a ghost?"

At last, Harry succeeded in removing Ginny's blouse, and the searing heat of Harry's hands on her ribs and breasts created such a distraction in Ginny that she released a primal groan, and pulled Harry in for a deep and lustful kiss.

Finally! This was enough encouragement for Harry to swiftly dispense of his own shirt and move the clasp of Ginny's bra, which he disposed of unceremoniously before his hands cupped her breasts gently.

Harry suddenly stopped kissing her and stepped back a bit, looking as though he may pass out.

Ginny opened her eyes, wondering why the activity had stopped and noticed his pallid complexion.

"Harry? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said breathlessly. "It's just that I've never actually… seen you…"

"Oh… sorry," Ginny said sadly, thinking she had read disappointment in Harry's tone.

"NO!" Harry reacted quickly. "You're brilliant! You're so beautiful I can barely breathe," he whispered as he lightly kissed his way down her jaw line and neck.

"Oh," Ginny squeaked.

"More beautiful than I've ever imagined… and I've imagined a lot."

"Oh," Ginny squeaked again.

Harry seemed to regain his breath and confidence as his kisses worked their way to each of Ginny's nipples, arousing them with his lips and tongue and then his fingers pinching them gently, then harder and harder until he elicited ecstatic groans from Ginny. Harry was consumed by a desire to hear more of those sounds coming from her.

Harry had found kissing other girls to be a pleasant distraction, but they hadn't aroused the level of curiosity that was currently consuming him. He couldn't get enough of the sounds she made, and he loved how she tasted. He had to learn all he could about what pleased her. He needed more.

Harry unfastened the closure at her waist and moved to remove her skirt and knickers as he knelt in front of her continuing to kiss her over her belly and down her thighs.

"Harry?" Ginny asked, suddenly lucid and trying to remember just how far she was willing to let Harry go.

Harry looked up at her hopefully. "It's alright, Gin… not everything… I just want to taste you."

Ginny nodded imperceptibly and then melted against the wall, silently praying that the stone walls of Hogwarts would be strong enough to support the spasms that were soon racking her body. She was sure that it was only the pressure of Harry arms around her thighs that kept her from crumbling in a heap on the floor. This theory was proven correct shortly after the spasms subsided and Harry pulled away; Ginny then crumbled onto the floor and into his arms. Harry moved to wipe his face before kissing her.

"No!" she gasped, grasping his lips in hers and eagerly tasting herself on his lips. She kissed him passionately, hoping to begin to return to him a fraction of the pleasure he'd just given her. Harry held her tenderly and returned her kisses.

A short while later, Ginny's sense of reality had returned a bit and she realized where she was.

"Harry?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are we on the floor of the Prefects bathroom?"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot. I have a surprise for you," Harry got up and rummaged through the pockets of the discarded school robe and pulled out a small paper wrapped bundle.

"There's more?" she gulped.

"There's lots more," he grinned shyly.

"What's that?" she asked indicating the parcel. "That's what you nicked from Snape, isn't it? Let's see."

Ginny peered into Harry opened hand and grimaced at the fistful of green, slimy, wormy looking things he was holding and then he disgusted her further by picking several of them up and eating them.

"Ichhhh! Harry! What are you doing? What is that disgusting stuff?"

"It's Gillyweed, and it allows you to breathe underwater. Are you coming in?" Harry said, dropping his remaining clothes, removing his glasses, and getting into the bath wearing nothing but a devastating grin.

Ginny stood with her mouth gaping as she watched gills form on Harry's neck. It wasn't until Harry reached out to gently pull Ginny into the bath that she realized his fingers had grown webs as well.

"Harry," she said with trepidation, "this is a bit bizarre."

Harry's grin just grew wider, as he handed her a fistful of Gillyweed.

"I suggest you eat your share, because I plan to pull you under with me," he chuckled as he disappeared under the bubbles.

"Harry? Harry?" Ginny called, but it was too late she could already feel Harry nibbling at her ankles.

"Oh dear," she sighed, as Harry's mouth did wonderful things to her calves and the backs of her knees; meanwhile, his hands explored her in every direction as far as they could reach.

Ginny was suddenly shifted off balance as Harry swam between her legs, forcing them apart, and then he began doing things to her with his mouth and water that Ginny had never even dreamt of! Ginny knew she wasn't long for the air-breathing world.

"Oh bugger!" she gasped as she gobbled the Gillyweed down and then descended below the bubbles with Harry.

Once underwater, Harry looked up and smiled at her, and then he kissed his way up her torso, while holding her gently, giving her time to grow accustomed to breathing with gills.

It was like another world under the bubbles, silent, soft and warm. Ginny looked Harry in the eyes, smiled softly, and then proceeded to kiss her way down his torso. After all, reciprocation is only fair isn't it?

But Ginny got even more than she imagined once again as Harry flipped his body around and gratefully reciprocated the reciprocation. Their bodies melted together as they floated effortlessly through the water, their buoyancy allowed them complete access to each other in a way that couldn't be accomplished on dry land.

It was a long, long time before they resurfaced again.

Harry came up into the air beaming.

"Wow! That worked!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah," Ginny said numbly, still clinging to Harry for strength. Once she was able to form complete thoughts again she said. "Harry, I had no idea you were so creative."

"Mmmm, I've been doing a lot of reading, not all of it academic," he chuckled, but then became sombre as he gathered Ginny close. "Like I said, I've imagined you a lot. I think I may have a rather overactive fantasy life where you're concerned."

"Harry, does it have to be fantasy? Are there other 'things' you'd like to try?" Ginny asked hopefully.

"Dozens," he chuckled. "We'll get to them, don't worry. First, I need to recover from this evening's adventure."

"This was wonderful, Harry. Thank you," she said as she kissed him lovingly, with a small sigh of contentment.

"See, that's what's missing underwater."

"What?" she asked dreamily.

"I can't hear you and I can't taste you. My two favourite things."

Ginny smiled. "I love you, Harry Potter."

Over the next several weeks Harry continued to be good to his word of scouting out private spots for them to be alone together. They needed to escape together between their distasteful and painful training sessions with Snape. Ginny found herself relying on the release that Harry's attentions provided her.

One morning in early February, Ginny was gazing dreamily at Harry during breakfast. Just last night he was a man, seeing to her every desire, and making her scream his name. But at this moment, he was a school boy with a glop of butter on his chin. Ginny turned to mush at the sight of him, he was lovely. She loved being allowed to stare at him openly, and she loved it more when he stared back, his bright emerald eyes twinkling with love and lust.

_His 'bright emerald eyes'! His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad! Oh bugger! Valentines Day is coming!_

Ginny's least favourite holiday in the world was swiftly approaching. Ever since her first year she'd absolutely dreaded this day! Valentines Day. For the first time in her life Ginny would have a boyfriend on this horrifying holiday. Not just any boyfriend, but Harry Potter. What could she possibly give him? How could she show him how deeply she was in love with him? And then, slowly, she realized she was ready. She wanted to give him all of her. The rightness of her decision welled up inside her, and a giddy smile spread across her face.

"What you grinnin' at, Gin?" Harry asked, as he chewed his toast. "Have I got somethin' on my face?

**Authors Notes:**

Thank You, as always to Jocjarmom, although I do begin to worry when I get my chapters back a 2 am! Get some sleep woman!

If you're a true TDT junkie, checkout Jocjarmom's TDT outtakes on Checkmated. She's following the R/H story, I had no idea those two were sooo randy!

I'd like to give credit to Sarea Okelani's 'Portkey Party' for bringing us a new use for the word reciprocation.

Are any of my readers going Accio 2005 at the University of Reading at the end of the month? Let me know if you are, I'd love to meet some of you.

I'd say there are 2 chapters left in the Hogwarts years, and then we return the future! YAY!


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Valentines Day

**Authors Note:**

I hope this is worth the long wait.

Please read SLOWLY! It makes me so sad that it takes me months to write something which will be gobbled down in a matter of minutes. Enjoy!

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 18: Valentines Day **

The final shudder pulsed through Pansy's body and although she managed to swallow a scream, a primal groan escaped her lips nonetheless. Exhausted, she collapsed onto Draco's bare chest.

"Merlin, Draco that was epic!" she sighed dreamily as she rolled off of him and sprawled nude on the bed next to him. They were skipping lunch to take advantage of a rare bit of privacy in the Slytherin boys' dormitory. "Why didn't we start doing this years ago?"

"Well, two reasons," Draco chuckled, as he rolled towards her. "First, you always said 'No'."

"What an idiot I was," she groaned.

"Quite. And second," he reached over and cupped her modest, but shapely breast in his hand, "you didn't have these until very recently." He began laving her nipple bringing it to attention under his ministrations. "I can't describe how delighted I was to learn that you're still growing, my friend," he mumbled as he moved his attention to her other breast.

"Pig!" she chuckled, as she slapped his head lightly.

"Just know what I like," he smirked up at her. He met her gaze and became solemn suddenly. "It didn't hurt this time?"

"Not a bit, it was lovely."

"Good." He continued kissing her, moving upwards to her neck and jaw and finally finding her lips for long and passionate kiss.

Everything with Pansy was perfect, and being with her brought Draco a peace he had never experienced before. Their relationship was uncomplicated, with no drama, she knew him intimately and accepted him as he was.

"Draco?"

"Mmmm?"

"I'm glad it was you," she whispered. "That you were my first."

Draco smiled at her, his eyes glowing. "It feels right, doesn't it? Us?" Pansy nodded.

"Draco, what are your plans for Valentines Day?" She rolled her eyes when Draco quirked an eyebrow at her and smirked. "I know! I know, I've always said it was an idiotic holiday! But, I thought maybe this year might be different."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I thought maybe a date, a real date. We've never really had one, not for years anyway."

"Ahhh, my lady wants some wooing, does she?"

"Draco!"

"I hate to tell you this Parkinson, but most girls require the wooing to come before letting a bloke have his way with her. You've gone about it a bit backwards here."

"Draco, don't tease!"

"Okay, Young Lady, I'll give you a Valentines Day you'll remember. Gladly. But… erm… first… are you ready for another go?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" she laughed as Draco pounced on her again.

_Ah…that's better, _Ginny thought as she once again stared at the Slytherin table while eating. She was pleased to see that Draco had followed her advice and spoken with Astrid. The small girl had obviously recovered from whatever was bothering her because she was currently hanging on Draco like a gnat, standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling on his clothes and stealing his food. She seemed to be trying to get him to go somewhere with her and Draco didn't seem at all displeased by her pestering; in fact he seemed to enjoy it and egged her on.

Ginny had seen them together quite often over the past week. In fact, Ginny realized, she hadn't seen Draco without Astrid for many days and they seemed much closer than they were before Christmas. Even when Draco was with Pansy, Astrid was there too…or so it seemed.

As she watched, Draco finally seemed to cave-in to whatever Astrid was demanding of him and he rose from his dinner and smirked at Pansy, who chuckled at him, rolled her eyes and then returned to her conversation with her friends. As soon as Draco stood Astrid unceremoniously threw herself onto his back, wrapped her legs around his waist and let out a mighty "Haw!" while digging her heels into his thighs, narrowly missing his sensitive bits. Draco, although at first he seemed a bit unnerved by the indecorous situation, but he quickly accepted his fate and made his way out of the Great Hall as rapidly as possible.

"Will ya look at that?" Ron grumbled to Harry, motioning to Draco carrying Astrid on his back.

"What?"

"Even I didn't think Malfoy was that pervy, but there's something not right about those two. Downright sick if you ask me."

"Does seem a bit strange," Harry pondered. "Ignoring each other one day and all over each other the next."

"Oh, will you two stop!" Ginny interrupted forcefully.

"Still defending him, eh Gin?" Ron cracked coldly. "You're ex-boyfriend's a paedo and that's all right by you."

"He is not! Shut-up Ron!" Ginny exploded. "You always want to believe the worst about him! Haven't you figured out yet that you're usually wrong? I swear if you didn't have Hermione sitting next to you'd drown in your soup bowl! Too stupid to live!"

"Watch it!" Ron burst out, quite stunned by Ginny's attack. Hermione's mouth also dropped slightly open.

"Hey!" Harry interrupted. "Drop it, both of you!"

"But he…" Ginny started.

"But she…" Ron started.

"Shush!" Harry cut them both off. "I'm not in the mood to referee you two tonight! Hermione, take him off somewhere and distract him, will ya?"

"Gladly," Hermione smirked at Harry, and then gazed briefly but knowingly at  
Ron.

"Gotta go!" Ron quickly forgot about Ginny and followed Hermione, practically pushing her out of the Great Hall.

"Drown in his soup bowl? Bit harsh don't ya think, Gin?" Harry scolded, but couldn't hold back a chuckle.

"He deserved it," grumbled Ginny, shrugging away from Harry's hand caressing her arm.

"And you're not much better," she pouted.

"I know, and I'm not going to apologize for hating him. But can I make it up you? I have several ideas that might work."

"Hmm…" Ginny considered, finally warming up a bit. "I'm tempted by your offer, but I can't. I have plans tonight."

"Plans? With who?"

"With myself, and don't ask any more questions."

"Ohhhh," Harry said sneakily. "Does this have anything to do with a certain holiday that's coming soon?"

"Yes," she said slowly, "but… well… yes."

"'Nuff said, I won't pry. My present better be good though." Harry chuckled.

Ginny grinned at him guiltily. "Oh, your present will be good." _But that has nothing to do with tonight!_ Ginny thought it best to escape from this whole situation. "I'll see you later Harry." She kissed him quickly and escaped.

There's a little known fact about Ginny Weasley: she can hold a grudge. Her brothers learned this lesson early and hard, but few others knew the truth. When Ginny decided retribution was necessary, she would get her revenge; it didn't matter how long it took and it didn't matter how fond she was of that person.

This little known fact of Ginny's was played out several hours later after dinner, deeply hidden within the kitchens of Hogwarts as she grumbled to herself.

"Goody-goody…you'll see who's not a goody-goody…bloody ferret…humph."

Now a rational and mature mind may step back here and wonder. 'Isn't she over that yet? It was almost a month ago.' And they may think our Ginny's behaviour a 'bit odd'. Yes, it is odd, isn't it? I wonder what it means? But we digress…back to our story!

The luscious smell of melted chocolate, handcrafted by magical Belgian monks, wafted through the air around her. As she crafted her greatest recipe for Grandmother Prewett's Famous Family Fudge, Ginny had to shoo away more than one house-elf intoxicated by the inescapably seductive scent. For Ginny couldn't share her treat with them… only she knew the effects of the other ingredients she was adding to the candy.

She knew her mother would be appalled by her using a beloved family recipe in this manner, and she felt the shadow of guilt sharply, but she ignored it.

It had taken her weeks to collect the ingredients necessary to exact her revenge. She couldn't go through Fred and George for all she needed without arousing their curiosity, but she found everything she needed in other ways.

Ginny carefully unwrapped the most important element of her potion, the ground tongue of the rare Tasmanian Neophema Chrysogaster stored in a silver box protected by a black velvet bag. This was the one element she had no choice but to approach her twin brothers for help in obtaining. She was very surprised they actually had some on hand because it was considered a Class A controlled element by the Ministry of Magic. Fred and George had endeavoured to coax out of her why she needed the powder, but she retaliated by insisting to learn how they had an illegal substance in their possession. After a long negotiation, consisting of dozen of owls flying back and forth, they arrived at the exact conclusion Ginny wanted: they would sell her the powder and they would defer their questioning to a later date.

She added the delicate powder to the slightly cooled fudge, and while she muttered the necessary incantation over the pot, another jolt of painful guilt bolted through Ginny's conscience, but again she ignored it. She was done.

She merely had to wait two days; this Saturday would be Valentine's Day, the day she would strike. Actually, planning and preparing her revenge against Draco had helped keep her mind off other matters, namely, the present she was planning to give to Harry on Saturday. It wasn't as though she was regretting her decision; quite the contrary, once the decision had been made she found it nearly impossible to not follow through immediately. But no, she managed to muster what little self-control she had and wait; they both deserved this to be a special moment.

However, she had to admit she had concerns. She found the news that she and Harry created energy which others could feel to be more than a little creepy. Would this energy grow once their relationship had been consummated? Would others be able to feel what they were feeling **while** they were doing it? Eeeew! But then no one seemed to have felt the aura during the infamous portkey incident at Grimmauld Place. This made Ginny wonder what it was that triggered the energy.

There had been another incident the previous Wednesday night which Ginny found curious. She and Harry had ensconced themselves in an abandoned corner of the dungeons to… well… you know… They had just reached a… erm… climactic moment in their proceedings when they heard the laughing voices of Ron and Pansy Parkinson on their rounds just outside the door. Harry's hand quickly covered Ginny mouth to stifle a groan and Ginny froze in panic… she couldn't get caught again! She was sure they would be discovered! Ron would relish taking points from Gryffindor for this. But the two Prefects continued on their rounds. Surely if Harry and Ginny ever created energy, it should have been felt then! And Ron was certainly familiar enough with their relationship to recognize the sensations emitted by that aura.

Ginny was grateful that she and Harry had eluded detection on that occasion, but Ginny was becoming very sceptical about Hermione's 'soul-mate' theory. They had been unable to recreate the energy during their training sessions with Professor Snape, although Professor Snape's office and demeanour didn't exactly facilitate lustful feelings.

Ginny s stomach clenched as she remembered that tomorrow was the day they would finally try to delve into Voldemort's mind. Professor Snape had made it clear to them he thought Harry would fail miserably, but the only way to prove he was correct and to end this sham of a theory was to make an attempt.

Hermione and Draco would be on hand to witness the attempt as well. Hermione wanted to be there in case any clues were divulged which she may find helpful to her research. Draco would be there because… well… actually Ginny didn't know why Draco would be there. He seemed to have some arrangement with Harry which neither of them would discuss. It bothered Ginny more than a little bit that Harry and Draco seemed to communicate far more closely than either one of them would admit.

The following evening was proving to be as fruitless and humiliating as every other practice session with Professor Snape. Only tonight they had the added benefit of failing in front of Draco and Hermione.

After nearly forty minutes, Harry had failed to establish a connection to Voldemort and Harry and Ginny had been unable to produce any sort of magic between them.

"I don't understand," Draco grumbled to Hermione impatiently. "Why are we here? Doesn't Saviour Boy have to be near the people he's trying to invade? How does he expect to get anywhere here?"

"Shhh," Hermione admonished. "Harry and Voldemort have a connection." Hermione studied Draco's doubtful expression. "Ever since he was a baby… something happened then… they're definitely connected."

"You mean Voldemort can get into his mind too?" Draco asked with a slight cringe.

"Not anymore, Harry's learned to control it."

"Well that's… inconvenient."

"Malfoy!" Harry yelled. "Now that you're up to speed, will you kindly SHUT-UP? I'm trying to concentrate!"

"But I still don't get it," Draco continued to whisper to Hermione. "Why can't they make that damn puff of smoke? Merlin knows they do it all over school!"

"Draco please!" Ginny pleaded this time. "This is difficult enough without a running commentary!"

"That's what I don't understand!" Draco spoke in a full voice, ignoring Harry's aggravated groan. "You're sitting there staring into each others' eyes like a couple of twits! That's not how it happens!"

"Draco!" Ginny groaned, and Harry was pleased to see that she was finally losing her patience with him. "We don't know how it happens. Don't you see? We can't feel it when it happens, so we don't have the first clue as to what triggers it. We've asked Hermione, but she can't help; she said she takes it as a cue to get away from us when she feels it and Ron won't even talk about it! We've been trying for weeks to recreate the energy, but nothing seems to work!"

"Oh," Draco shrugged, "well, you haven't asked me."

"What do mean? Have you been spying on us, you perv?" Harry exploded.

"Mr. Potter!" Professor Snape interceded. "Why don't you _ask_ Mr. Malfoy if he has any information which may be useful?"

"Draco?" Ginny asked gently. "Can you help us?"

Draco pursed his lips and huffed.

"Please?" Ginny pleaded.

"It happens at normal times. It just seems to happen when you're being… well, you know how you get," Draco growled. "It's when you're being cosy."

"Cosy?" Harry and Ginny asked in unison.

"Yes, cosy; when you're laughing or helping each other. Remember, it happened when Potter helped you find your Patronus? Hell, the other day I felt it happen over dinner, when you passed him the Brussels sprouts!"

"I _love_ Brussels sprouts," Harry brightened.

"You have no idea how nauseating it is! I don't see how your housemates can stand to be near you."

"You seem more tuned into it than most!" Harry hissed. "Why don't you try keeping your pointy nose out of our business in future?"

"Harry!" Ginny scolded. "He's trying to help!"

"Can we just calm down and try to remember why we're here?" Hermione asked calmly. "Why don't you try it again, this time instead of thinking about… well, whatever it is you're thinking about, try to concentrate on… well… what you like about each other."

"That sounds too easy," Harry mumbled sceptically.

"Let's just try it, Harry, it can't hurt." Ginny encouraged. "I have an idea! Imagine this…" Ginny leaned over and whispered into Harry's ear. Harry smirked and grinned, and then began to chuckle, while nodding his head.

"Okay, we'll try that," he chuckled.

Draco, it seemed, had provided the key to Harry and Ginny's magic. Almost as soon as they all settled back into their seats, a smoky ring of energy burst forth from between them. Draco settled back and watched the proceedings, a luxury he usually didn't allow for himself. Harry had been correct when he accused Draco of being more sensitive to their energy than most people. It wasn't that Draco tried to sense it, and actually he usually he tried to avoid the sensation completely. Nonetheless, he could feel it anyway and he tried to not think about what that fact implied. However, Draco's quickly developing intimacy with Pansy had done a lot to lessen the irritation of his predicament; in fact, today he found he could sit and watch quite impartially.

The silky ring of smoke burst around them and Harry leaned forwarded in his seat, with a look of intense and painful concentration on his face; he seemed to be in a trance, oblivious to the room around him. Ginny, however, was sitting next to him, benignly watching him and not seeming to be affected by the trance at all.

"It worked. It think it's working." Ginny whispered. "I can feel him using my energy, ever so slightly. Did any of you feel it?"

Draco, Hermione and Professor Snape nodded quietly, but no one could take their eyes off Harry. His face contorted as his concentration deepened; he was obviously in pain, and after he remained unmoving for several minutes Ginny began to worry. He'd never delved into anyone's mind for more than a few seconds.

"Should we try to break the trance?" she whispered.

"No," they all replied.

"Let him be Miss Weasley," Professor Snape replied. "I doubt we'll get a chance like this again."

"But he's in pain!" Ginny cried.

"Miss Weasley, leave him be!" Professor Snape warned.

Finally, Harry was violently released from his trance and he lurched forward out of his seat, hitting the floor with a loud thump.

"Harry! Are you alright?" Ginny threw herself on the floor with him, but Harry motioned her away as soon as his eyes could focus on her. He had turned a pale shade of greyish-green and his entire body began to convulse.

"Harry!" Ginny shrieked.

Harry barely reached a nearby cauldron before he retched into it for several minutes.

"See anything good, Potter?" drawled a cringing Draco.

"Draco! Shut it!" admonished Ginny as she handed Harry a cup of water.

Harry slowly regained his breath and gingerly returned to his chair, but it took him several more minutes to recover fully. When he finally looked up and around the room, all eyes were glued to him. Everyone looked simultaneously stunned, revolted and very curious. They were all waiting for Harry to speak, but Harry couldn't imagine the appropriate words for what he now knew.

"So much hate," was all he could eventually manage. "I've never felt so much hate."

"Harry, I know it's hard, but did you see anything?" Hermione couldn't suppress herself any longer.

Harry nodded.

"Were you able to read his thoughts at will? Do you know his plans?"

Harry shook his head.

"Nothing I can make sense of yet. It's not like I can read thoughts, it's more like I can sense emotions and I see images of … I don't know what of… maybe things he's done…maybe things he's planning to do."

"Tell us Harry, describe what you saw," Hermione asked gently.

"There's so much, Hermione! How can I break it down?"

"What were you looking for Harry? What were you concentrating on finding?"

"At first it was Ginny, I was concentrating on Ginny and what he wants with her."

"Was Ginny there?" Hermione probed further.

Harry nodded.

"He wants her, for the reasons we've imagined," Harry said softly.

"But why?" Ginny burst in, unable to stay silent any longer.

Harry's face cringed as he racked his mind trying to put his experience into words. "He needs a baby, but no… that's not it… he needs a body."

"Do you mean an heir?" Ginny asked.

"No." Harry shook his head. "He doesn't think of it like that, he thinks of it as a body. I don't understand."

"He needs a body!" Professor Snape suddenly joined the conversation from his desk in the corner.

"We've established that!" Draco snapped. "What does it mean?"

"Potter, recap the final day of the Tri-wizard Tournament for us, when the Dark Lord returned."

"Not my favourite memory," Harry grumbled. "What do you want to know?"

"I want to confirm how he returned to a physical state when Peter Pettigrew resurrected him."

"How?" Harry asked dumbly.

"Yes! Yes! How?" Snape snapped. "My understanding is that he materialized out of nothing, is that correct?"

"No, he had a bit of a body, horrible little thing."

"That doesn't matter," Professor Snape continued as though he were thinking aloud. "That would have been an Animus Scaphium, just a container to bind the soul to earth. They're very unstable and have very few elemental properties."

"Okay," Harry agreed blankly.

"How obvious," Snape grumbled to himself. "Why haven't we realized this before?"

"REALIZED WHAT?" Harry growled, from the end of his rope.

Snape smirked. "Really Potter, your analytical skills are pathetic. Miss Granger, what does the Dark Lord fear most?"

"Death," Hermione answered without a pause and a grin that indicated she was following Snape's thought process.

"Correct. Mr. Malfoy, once the Dark Lord regained a physical body, what is his greatest danger?"

"Death?" Draco answered only half understanding the flow of the conversation.

"Very good. Mr. Potter, what would be the Dark Lord's first priority once he obtained a new body?"

"To become immortal again?" Harry asked, in shock as though he didn't believe the words which were exiting his mouth. "But this all happened almost two years ago! Surely he's protected himself by now!"

"Miss Granger? You seem bursting to speak; do you have an answer as usual?" Snape remarked snidely, but the usual cruel edge in his tone was not apparent.

"Well," Hermione began slowly. "What if he was having difficulties making his new body immortal?"

"Why would he have problems if he's done it before?" Harry snapped, wishing someone would get to the point.

"No, what if it doesn't work that way, Harry?"

"Why would what work what way?"

"Think about it Harry, when we're in Transfiguration class and we turn a mouse into a goblet or whatever. What happens next?"

"Nothing."

"No, Harry. Eventually the charm wears off and the goblet turns back into a mouse. When the mouse is a goblet, it's in a very fragile state. If you want it to remain a goblet indefinitely, the charm would require periodic maintenance. It's just a law of nature that every element wants to return to its natural state."

"Are you saying he can't keep the body he's currently in?"

"I don't know. He can probably maintain himself in his current state indefinitely, but his body may never be as stable or as reliable as an organically grown body. What if his current body is unable to hold the powerful magic required to grant a soul immortality?"

"He would need a body," Harry said quietly, while feeling the bile rise in his throat again.

"Oh Gods!" Ginny cried. "But why a baby?"

"Soul transfer requires a blood bond, between the soul donor's body and the receiver's body." Professor Snape supplied quietly.

"So you agree with what Hermione said?" Harry asked incredulously. "You think that's what's happening? He wants to father Ginny's baby, and then what? Wait years and years until it grows up? That doesn't make sense, it would take too long. Even magically enhanced growing can't make a baby grow that fast." Even as Harry was attempting his argument, he knew the truth; everything he had seen and felt in Voldemort's mind supported Snape and Hermione's theory.

"Harry," Hermione began timidly. "I know it's an odd way to look at the problem, but this is a good thing."

"Good thing? What's good, Hermione?"

"We know he's not a patient man. If he needs a baby and he's willing to wait for it, then it shows us how desperate he is. If we're correct, and we don't know we are, but _if _we are, then he's not immortal and he won't be for a very long time."

The silence in the room was deafening, as everyone breathlessly pondered the possibilities before them.

"We need to know for sure that he's vulnerable," Harry finally said quietly. "I'm not going to spend the rest of my life chasing this lunatic. We need a plan, I want this to end."

"We all do, Harry," Ginny said. "Hermione, you must have some ideas, you've been researching Carina de Florette for months."

"I'm sorry," Hermione shook her head sadly, "it's just one dead end after another."

"We can worry about it later," Harry said, as though a heavy fog had descended over him. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I've had enough for today."

"Of course, Harry," Ginny agreed softly. "Do you think you think you could eat something?"

"No thanks, Gin. I just need some sleep. Let's go."

The group mumbled their good-nights to Professor Snape who was uncharacteristically speechless as they left.

Just as Draco broke away from the group to head toward the dungeons Harry stopped him, suddenly coming back to life as he remembered something.

"Malfoy!" Harry called.

Draco turned around and quirked an eyebrow questioningly.

"You were there too," Harry said cryptically.

"Pardon?"

"In Voldemort's head… you're on his mind too. He hates you almost as much as he hates me."

"Am I supposed to be honoured to be in such acclaimed company?" Draco said dryly. "Good-night."

"Malfoy! Why? Why does he hate you?" Harry insisted.

Draco shrugged. "Couldn't say, Potter." Draco started backing slowing towards the stairway. "But I'm touched you can't imagine why someone would hate me." Chuckling, Draco quickly turned and continued on his way.

Ginny stretched out comfortably in her bed, the early morning light peeking through her bed curtains. She wondered if she could afford to roll over and steal another half hour of sleep.

Suddenly she was wide awake. It was Saturday! Valentine's Day! A big day in so many ways! But first she had to get to breakfast and put her scheme into action. She dressed quickly and rushed to the Great Hall.

She knew from her rounds with Draco the previous evening that he was planning to eat his breakfast early and get started on his Valentine's Day plans with Pansy. He was not at all willing to share his plans with Ginny, nor was he willing to elaborate on the change in status of his and Astrid's relationship. Overall Ginny was disappointed with Draco, he wasn't being fun at all and this helped to soothe any guilty feelings she was having about what was about to befall him.

She approached the Slytherin table as casually as possible and stopped where Draco and Pansy seemed to be halfway through their breakfasts. There was a steady stream of students entering the Great Hall. Ginny looked back and saw Harry, Ron and Hermione taking their seats behind her.

"Morning Draco, Happy Valentine's Day." Ginny smiled sweetly and handed a small gold box to Draco. He looked up from his breakfast with surprise.

"Thanks Gin, you didn't have to do that. Sorry, I didn't get you anything."

"Oh, it's nothing, really. You're welcome."

"Open it Draco," Pansy elbowed him with curiosity. Ginny couldn't tell if it was jealous curiosity or curious curiosity.

"Okay." Draco lifted the lid from the box and the familiar smell of fine chocolate wafted over the dining table.

"It's fudge, from an old family recipe," Ginny offered, beginning to back away from the table slowly.

"Wow! That smells good!" Pansy said reaching for a piece of fudge, but Draco slapped her hand away.

"No! Mine! Maybe later, if you're very good!" Draco snapped.

Ginny turned away to hide her smirk; she was counting on Draco's inability to share to make her plan work.

"Morning Gin, why didn't you wait for us?" Harry asked with a furrowed brow as Ginny took her seat amongst her friends.

"Just had a few things to do first. Happy Valentine's Day, Harry." She leaned over and gave him a warm kiss which melted the tension in his forehead.

"Happy Valentine's Day to you," he said back. "I'll give your present to you later, okay?"

Ginny nodded. "You're getting yours later too."

"Gin, what'd you give Malfoy?" Ron asked tauntingly.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Not that it's your business Ron, but I gave him some fudge."

"Fudge? Where'd you get fudge?"

"I made it."

"What? Grandma Prewett's fudge? You made Grandma Prewett's fudge for the Ferret without making some for me?"

"Shows about where you rank, doesn't it Ron?" Ginny snapped.

"Don't start," Hermione interrupted. "Here Ginny, eat your breakfast," she said as she passed Ginny the platter of eggs and Harry dropped a few sausages on her plate.

"I would have liked some fudge too, Gin," Harry grumbled teasingly in her ear.

"What you're getting is better than candy, and besides, you wouldn't have liked this batch."

Ginny tucked into her breakfast while having a quiet conversation with Harry and keeping one eye on Draco.

Suddenly her stomach clenched as she saw Draco reach into the golden box and pop a piece of fudge into his mouth.

A look of relaxed ecstasy melted over Draco's face; this was to be expected as the normal reaction to Grandma Prewett's fudge. But then Draco slumped over onto the table unconscious. Pansy shook him in a panic and was able to revive him after several seconds. Draco sat up weakly and squinted at Pansy, but didn't seem to recognize her. He looked about the room expectantly until he found whom he was seeking. Draco rose from his seat unsteadily and took the most direct course towards his prey which was over the top of the Slytherin table and then he leapt onto the top of the Gryffindor table.

Hushed silence descended over the Great Hall as all eyes turned to Draco. He was on top of the Gryffindor dining table, walking down the centre. His gait was unsteady, but purposeful, like a drunken man who suddenly remembered a very important task. Gryffindors chided him and threw their breakfasts at him as he stepped over and sometimes into their plates. Ginny watched his progress with trepidation, the guilty conscience she'd been repressing for weeks was now pounding at her from within, for only she knew what would happen next.

Draco paused where Harry was sitting and, as Ginny knew he would, he then gestured to Harry and turned to acknowledge the silent and gaping crowd.

"MALFOY! What the bloody hell are you on about?" Harry yelled.

Draco looked down onto Harry lustfully, one could even say lovingly. Ginny groaned and buried her head in her hands as Draco began to speak, elocuting loudly and clearly.

_Your eyes are green as a fresh pickled toad_

_So I sing you this very gay ode._

_I'm as hard as a rock_

_And although we'll be mocked_

_Return my love or I swear I'll implode!_

Suddenly, the spell released Draco with a loud snap, and he stumbled backwards slightly, breaking several more dishes, before regaining his balance. The realization of what had just transpired passed over his face in several stages. First he looked around, bewildered by his location atop the Gryffindor table. Second, he realized that he was the focus of the entire school, some students who were silently aghast and others who were barking with laughter. Finally, the full realization of what had just happened struck. He remembered everything and he blanched! He looked down on Harry's pale and shocked complexion, but Harry was not looking at Draco. Harry was glaring at Ginny!

Any disbelief that Ginny could be the one who did this to him disappeared when he saw her face. She had risen from the table and retreated several steps; her eyes were wide and bright, as they darted back and forth between Draco and Harry. Her face reflected so many emotions that it was impossible to read. However, one thing was perfectly clear to Draco: Ginny was the mastermind behind this horrifying prank and Draco turned his glare onto her as well.

It was in this moment that Ginny realized something important; the two boys she cared most about in the world were also the two scariest wizards of her age! And at that moment, the anger and hatred which they usually reserved for one another was focused sharply on her!

Ginny smiled meekly, desperately trying to think of anything to say. "It really didn't seem that harsh when I wrote it," she shrugged and cringed.

Draco moved for Ginny first, stepping from the table to the bench and then to the floor with a smooth gait, glaring down at her from inches away in a split-second.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I went too far," she squeaked timidly, but looked him in the eyes.

Draco continued to glare down at her, his face emotionless and still, except for the twitching of his tensed jaw muscles. She noticed his clenched fists nervously.

Then suddenly, he pushed past her roughly and exited the Great Hall without a word.

"Whoa," Ron whispered to Hermione. "I think my sister's the only person in the world who could pull a prank like that and live."

"It's not over yet," Hermione whispered back, as she nodded toward Ginny who had just been grabbed by Harry and was being dragged from the Great Hall.

Once outside the dining hall Harry pushed Ginny into the nearest corner.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL WAS THAT, GIN?" Harry bellowed at her.

"Sorry, Harry!" she cringed.

"SORRY? YOU THINK 'SORRY' WILL FIX IT? WHAT DID I DO TO YOU TO DESERVE THAT?"

"NOTHING! And please don't yell at me, you have no idea how scary you are when you're angry."

"Fine," he said tersely. "I won't yell. Answer the question. Why did you do that me?" Ginny immediately regretted her request because she found Harry's controlled intense rage much scarier than his yelling.

"I didn't do it to you. Honestly. I did it to Draco, he…"

"You can't honestly tell me you thought I would be unaffected by that… that…"

"Okay, I know, it was bad. That'll teach me not to write limericks while angry."

"GINNY! THIS ISN'T A GOOD TIME TO JOKE!"

"I'm sorry, Harry! So sorry!" Tears welled up in Ginny's eyes; she hadn't meant to hurt Harry, but clearly she hadn't thought things through completely.

Harry felt himself melt a bit when he saw Ginny's tears, but he wouldn't let the sympathy overwhelm him; he gathered his righteous indignation around him like a cloak and moved away from her.

"Ginny, I think maybe we should just spend the day apart. We'll try talking this evening."

"NO! Please! Don't go away Harry. You've no idea how much I've been looking forward to this day," she pleaded desperately.

"It's ruined now, Gin." Harry shook his head and turned to leave.

"NO!" Ginny sobbed as she pulled Harry back towards her. But then she had an idea, and she brightened visibly. "Let me make up to you." Ginny met Harry's angry glare, her voice had softened measurably and she began to finger the buttons on the front of Harry's shirt. "I think you'll forgive me once I tell you about your Valentines present."

Harry looked at her doubtfully. "Keep talking."

Ginny stood on tip toes and whispered into Harry ear, and then she took a step backwards to watch his reaction.

Several reactions played vividly across Harry's face. After the initial surprise, a burst of glee registered, but it was quickly replaced by tension once he remembered he was livid with Ginny. She grinned as she watched the battle between Harry's anger and his desire to collect Ginny's gift played out before her.

"Hey mate," Ron burst in behind them as he left the great hall. "Ah, you haven't killed her yet, that's a good thing. Hogsmeade day! You two coming?"

Harry was shocked out of his reverie by Ron's interruption, but he didn't take his eyes off of Ginny.

"No thanks, Ron. We have other plans," Harry said icily.

Ron furrowed his brows. "Whatever, I don't want to be around if you guys are gonna fight all day." Ron grumbled as he and Hermione went on their way. "Try not to hurt each other."

"No promises," Ginny called, her eyes bright with excitement. "You forgive me?"

"No," Harry said curtly. "You do realize you're using sex as a weapon, right?"

"More like a tool, a very nice tool," she grinned up at him.

Harry couldn't suppress the slight grin from twitching at the corners of his mouth. But it was enough to make Ginny throw herself at him and cover his face with kisses.

"You do forgive me, I know it! Admit it!" she laughed.

Harry peeled her off of him and held her at arms length.

"Maybe I do forgive you a little, but only because I'm sure Malfoy will get enough revenge for both of us. And don't expect me to protect you when it happens!"

"Hmmm, he was pretty pissed, wasn't he?"

"I'd say so," Harry said dryly.

"Well, I'll think about that tomorrow. What do you have in mind for today?'

"Meet me in the Tree in an hour."

"The Tree? I thought you said it was a sanctuary, not a love shack." Ginny smiled naughtily at him.

"Well, things change. See you there. Don't be late." Harry ran off before she could say another word.

Ginny entered the Tree guardedly; considering it was nearing noon, it was very dark and she had only the light reflecting from her wand to guide her.

"Harry?" she called. "Harry? Are you here?"

Suddenly the room sprung alive with light, dozens of candles everywhere. Ginny smiled, "The old candle trick again?" she asked looking about warily, since she still couldn't see Harry. "You used that in the Prefect's bathroom. You couldn't think of anything original?"

A fire burst to life in the hearth, illuminating the area around it. There was a chess set and several other games arraigned on the floor before the fire.

"Chess?" Ginny giggled. "You want to be pummelled at chess? How romantic."

Suddenly Ginny noticed a basket nearby; she found it filled with food, all of her favourites.

"Oh, this is more like it Harry Potter!"

Suddenly Harry's arms were behind her, wrapping around her middle and pulling her into him.

"Ah, there you are!"

"Yes, I had to come out of hiding before you ate everything. That's for later, we just finished breakfast."

"That was over an hour ago. You've gone to a lot of trouble." Ginny sighed, relaxing into his arms and turning to face him. "You couldn't have done all this in an hour."

"No," Harry admitted. "This is what I had planned for Valentines Day. I thought we could spend the day alone together. Just us, talking, maybe a snog or two. That was before you came up with your much improved idea."

"Sounds promising. We can do both. We have all day." Ginny smiled at him, settled into a very comfortable chair, which happened to be big enough for two and gave him her best come-hither stare. Harry wasted no time in joining her there.

Ginny was more nervous than she would admit, even to herself, about the day's plans. However, Ginny's nervousness subsided as the hours passed quickly, they always did in Harry and Ginny's world. They never ran out of topics of conversation, and being quiet together was pure bliss.

"Harry?" Ginny asked awhile later, as they were still cuddled together in the chair. "Do you think real-life will ever be this peaceful for us?"

"What do you mean, Gin?"

"I guess I'm asking you how you see your future. What do you want your life to be like?"

Harry looked at Ginny blankly. "I…I don't know. I don't think about it. Gin, you know as well as I do that I may not have a future."

"Harry, don't say that. Don't even think it. Imagine that you're successful and Voldemort is gone forever. What would your life be like? What would you want to do?"

"You mean for a job?"

"Sure, that's a start."

"You know, Ron and I have always planned to be Aurors. Even if I succeed. there'll always be dark wizards."

"But is that what you want? It seems like something that's been thrust upon you, and you haven't been given a choice."

"Seems to be where I belong," he shrugged.

"But is it what you want Harry?"

"I don't know what you want to hear, Gin."

"Well, you know I'm with you Harry. You know I'll do whatever it takes to defeat Voldemort, right?"

"Yes."

"But after he's gone… I don't know… after he's gone everything will change, won't it?"

"I hope so, for the better."

"We'll be able to choose the life we want to lead."

"What do you want, Gin? What sort of life do you want?"

"I want peace and safety. I want to live a quiet life. I want to make a family. I know it sounds very…"

"It sounds lovely, Gin."

"Would you be happy with a life like that, Harry?"

"Gin, with you I'd be happy hanging upside down in a cave. But I don't know… like you said, danger seems to find me and it's not like I choose it. I don't know."

"Oh."

"You hungry?'

"Of course."

"Gin, what's wrong? You seem sad suddenly."

"Nothing, Harry. Let's eat. We're getting entirely too serious for what's supposed to be a romantic day."

"Gin, don't worry, everything will be alright. Let's never doubt that. Okay?"

Ginny nodded and when she smiled broadly, Harry couldn't help but smile back. The warmth of her smile and the trust in her eyes made Harry feel complete.

"Kiss me, Harry."

Harry complied happily, pulling Ginny into his embrace, kissing her softly and then leading her onto the soft blanket spread before the fire. The two lovers settled down to eat their picnic. A casual observer would note there were equal amounts of eating and kissing going on.

Soon the food was gone and the intensity of their passions grew. Harry found himself concentrating his attentions on Ginny's neck and earlobes, and he was rewarded with soft moans for his efforts.

Over the past weeks, Harry had studied Ginny's body as thoroughly as Hermione had learned her Ancient Runes lessons. When it came to Ginny, Harry was a very good student.

Harry suckled on a tender bit of skin on the pulse point of her neck. He knew he would probably leave his mark there and he was glad… he wanted the world to know that Ginny was his. Harry laved the red mark to soothe it and then blew on it lightly, sending cool chills down Ginny's spine and further igniting her fire within.

Ginny's hands moved to the buttons of her blouse, but Harry stopped her.

"Sshhh… slow down, let me do that. We're not in a hurry, Gin. Like you said, we have all day. For once we're not hiding; no one will find us here. This is our first time. I want to make it last." Harry had finished unbuttoning Ginny's blouse and began exploring her already well-mapped belly.

""Hmmm, Harry… you do realize the first time for a girl really sucks, don't you? Maybe we should just get this over with."

Harry stopped suddenly and looked into her concerned eyes; for the first time, in addition to lust, he thought he saw a bit of fear.

"Gin, we really don't have to do anything if you're not ready."

"No, I'm ready Harry; you have no idea how ready. I feel like I've been waiting for this day forever. But… would you do something for me?"

"Of course," he said, sitting up and pulling Ginny upright with him. "What?"

"When the time comes, make it quick and when I least expect it, okay?"

Harry furrowed his brow and smirked involuntarily. "I don't think, I'll have a problem with quick, believe me."

"Harry! That's not what I mean!"

"But, when you least expect it? I can't imagine how you won't be expecting it, Gin."

"You're laughing at me Harry," Ginny pouted.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to. I'll do my best. Come with me."

Harry stood up and pulled Ginny to her feet.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"We're going to the bed," he said hotly into her ear.

Harry guided Ginny toward the bed allowing his hands to slowly float over the curves of her waist and hips, his fingers making small circles as they travelled over her clothes he seemed to be extracting pleasure from each fibre that covered her. But soon nothing was between them and Ginny revelled in the feeling of Harry's smooth, Quidditch hardened body caressing her everywhere. Ginny remembered there was nothing to be nervous about with Harry and relaxed.

Harry was determined to prepare Ginny in everyway possible, before he followed through on what he had only done in the privacy of his imagination. He easily worked her body into a fever pitch, and took pride in finding new ways to bring her to a now familiar and welcome conclusion. This day was no different and through his thorough and constant care he rendered her into a desperate state until she begged him to finish it.

"Please, Harry. Please!"

"But it would ruin the surprise," he chuckled in her ear as his naughty fingers brought her as close to the edge as possible without going over.

"Oh Gods, you're dead Potter!" she groaned while her hips bucked against his hand. "This is revenge for this morning isn't it? You're going to torture me with my own lust."

"Not at all!" Harry laughed, and then suckled her nipple, in a way that never failed to make her wail his name. "I'm just giving you what you asked for, and what you deserve."

Harry mouth joined his fingers in their mission of driving Ginny mad with desire. Ginny's desperation grew exponentially by the second, and she had no other choice but to wrap thighs tightly around Harry's head and squeeze as her body convulsed around him.

"I swear, Potter!" she began breathlessly. "If you don't give me what I need… right now… you're going to die in this position."

Knowing that he might be destined to die at the hands of Voldemort, Harry thought this would be a far more pleasurable way to go. Nonetheless, given that under the circumstances he was unable to respond to her threat verbally, responded by letting his fingers plunder further and finished her off with one last powerful suck.

Harry was sure that any passersby of the Shrieking Shack would report that it was haunted once again when they heard the keening emanating from within.

Ginny's was at the height of this ecstatic torture when Harry took the opportunity to finish the job at hand. Her eyes popped open to see Harry's eyes inches away from her.

"Oh! Gods yes, Harry!" Ginny's body opened further, welcoming him and sending her even further over the edge.

"Surprise," Harry muttered with some effort, himself having difficulty controlling his own ecstasy, because Ginny's soft warmth ignited a joy within Harry he had never imagined.

Hours later, Harry lay on his side gazing at Ginny's dozing form, his hand gently caressing her hair and temple. Making love to Ginny had been brilliant, and he felt overwhelmed by the love and trust which she had placed in him.

The entire afternoon had been blissful; he revelled in the peace which he felt when he and Ginny were alone. They managed to create a universe for themselves and nothing else existed: there were no monsters trying to kill them, there were no worries at all. Harry wished they could escape together, somewhere far away where the reality they lived in didn't matter. But just as he made that wish he also knew he wouldn't accept it, even if it were granted; there was too much at stake to walk away.

Harry sat up to try to get an idea of the time of day and he noticed blood on the bed clothes and Ginny's thighs. Harry reached for his wand and quickly performed a cleansing charm to destroy the droplets of blood for which a madman would have been willing to kill. Harry smiled contentedly; Ginny was safe from one threat at least.

"Gin," he whispered softly while applying kisses to her ear and neck. "Gin, wake up it's getting late; if we're not back for dinner everyone will worry."

"Mmmm…too happy to leave," she groaned as she rolled toward Harry and wrapped her

leg around his hip. "Can't we just stay here forever, making love and ignoring the world?"

"I've had similar thoughts myself. But no, and I think you'd probably change your mind as soon as you realized we were out of food."

"Why, Harry Potter! Are you implying that I love food more than I do you?" Ginny laughed as she rolled over pushing Harry onto his back and straddling his hips.

"I think a pretty air-tight case could be made for that, yes." Harry retorted bucking his hips upwards in a way that was very pleasing to both of them. Ginny sighed and closed her eyes, grinding back on him. "Don't get too comfortable, Gin." Harry said with difficulty. "You know we have to go back."

"I know," Ginny sighed, while climbing off the bed and beginning to dress.

Harry followed her example and dressed himself slowly, never able to rip his eyes away from her. He felt a twinge of guilt when he noticed that she was moving gingerly as she tidied and collected their belongings.

"Are you alright, Gin? I know I hurt you, I'm sorry."

"You already apologized a dozen times Harry. It's not so bad, and it was very worth it. I'm fine, Harry. No worse than a rough Quidditch game." Ginny looked up from gathering the remains of their picnic and she noticed the concern in Harry's eyes. She quickly went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You were wonderful today Harry, I can't imagine anything better."

"I just wish it didn't hurt you," he whispered while kissing her gently.

"It won't next time. Come on and let's get out of here, I'm starving."

"What did I tell you? Stomach first, that's my Ginny."

As they walked back to school, Harry's arm around her shoulders and Ginny snuggled close, Harry thought it very odd he didn't see any other students on the path back to school; it was the time of day when he would expect to see a steady stream of students returning to the castle from their day in town.

Even walking through the castle corridors was odd, because there was no one in sight.

"HARRY! GINNY! Where have you been? We thought you'd been taken!" Hermione pounced on them the second they passed through the Gryffindor portrait door and wrapped them both in a choking hug.

The common room was filled to the brim with gaping, dishevelled, panicked looking students.

"Taken? What's going on here? What happened?" Harry gasped with stunned surprise.

"There was a Death Eater attack in Hogsmeade," Hermione supplied.

"Where's Ron?" Ginny burst out suddenly as she scanned the room, looking for her brother.

Hermione turned to her with a pained look. "He's in the hospital wing; they wouldn't let me near him. I've been going mad…"

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Both Harry and Ginny burst in unison.

But Hermione couldn't go on; she burst into tears and crumbled into Harry's arms.

"Shhh…it's all right, Hermione," he said gently, as he lead her to a nearby sofa, shooing away its current residents with a glare.

"Hermione, please tell us what happened. How bad is Ron? Was he conscious?" Ginny asked, trying to remain calm, but the panic was rising in her eyes. She sat on the floor at Hermione's feet and willed her the strength to go on.

"We…we were in Flourish and Blotts, Ron got bored and went outside. Just as I stepped into the street, I heard a loud explosion and saw flames devouring The Three Broomsticks… and Ron running towards it. I yelled at him to stop, but he ignored me and he went in. He was trying to find people to get them out, and he managed to pull out three people before Antonin Dolohov attacked him from behind."

"Oh gods!" Ginny cried.

"It was terrible!" Hermione sobbed. "He used the _Cruciatus _Curse on him! He wanted to kill Ron! I've never seen anything…" Hermione couldn't go on, she broke down into sobs.

"Come on, Hermione," Harry said rising and pulling Hermione up with him. "Let's go to the Hospital wing and see how Ron's doing."

"But they wouldn't let me in!"

"They'll let me in if they know what's good for them!" Ginny said. "Besides Neville and I have a potion Ron should take. Where is Neville? Maybe he's with Ron already?"

"I don't know where he is, I haven't seen him," Hermione sniffled as the three friends made their way thought the portrait hole.

The sight of Ron in his hospital bed was both horrifying and reassuring. He was covered with burns from head to toe and even both of his hands were wrapped in gauze, but he was awake and alert and very happy to see the three of them.

"Harry! Ginny! Are you alright?"

"We're fine, but I think we should be asking you that mate," Harry chuckled, clearly relieved.

"I look worse than I am. I don't understand why Madame Pomfrey has me wrapped up like a mummy! She healed my burns in two minutes!"

"Because new skin is very fragile Ron," Hermione supplied in the know-it-all tone that never failed to put a smile on Ron's face. "It needs to be protected for the first twenty-four hours."

"It's good to see you too, Hermione," Ron grinned, "come and give me a kiss."

Hermione complied, while Harry and Ginny tried to look away.

"But Ron, Hermione said she saw you get hit with the _Cruciatus_ Curse," Ginny said.

"Yeah, I was," Ron said solemnly. "That was bad, way worse than the burns."

"But you're alright already. You should still be unconscious!"

Ron shook his head, "I'm fine now, and I think I have **you** to thank for that, Gin. Neville gave me some of that concoction that you two brewed up, **vile** stuff by the way, but it worked!"

"What was it like, Ron? What did you feel before and after you took the potion? We can never tell with Neville's parents how it's working!" Ginny asked excitedly.

"I don't remember getting hit with the curse, and my memory starts when I was already in my hospital bed with Madame Pomfrey and Neville spooning that stuff down my throat. Can't you add raspberry flavouring to it or something?"

"Ron! Go on!" Ginny encouraged.

"I remember I went from feeling nothing to having crippling pain shooting through my body, but I couldn't scream, I couldn't react to anything. I was trapped in the pain. That part was bad, but then the pain started to fade. It was as if the more of the potion they fed me the quicker the pain stopped."

Ginny was beside herself with joy! Not only was her brother going to be alright, but she had played an instrumental part in saving him! All of the hours she and Neville had poured into developing their potion had paid off ten-fold!

"Ron, I'm so happy you're alright and that I could help! But where's Neville? I need to talk to him about this," Ginny asked.

"He went to St. Mungo's ages ago to help with some of the victims of the attack who were worse off than me."

Ginny had forgotten that there were others! "I should be there too!" she cried.

"You'll do no such thing my dear," Madam Pomfrey interrupted, "Mr. Longbottom just flooed me. He's done all he can at the hospital and will return to school soon. I suggest you go back to your common room and wait for him. Mr. Weasley needs his rest. Now shoo, the lot of you!"

Ginny waited for Neville impatiently. She told Harry he should go to bed, but he insisted on waiting up with her; he sat with her quietly, stroking her hair and talking of mundane, silly things to help pass the time.

When Neville finally arrived he was fatigued and drawn.

"Neville! What happened? How are the other victims? Did our potion work on the more severe cases?"

"Slow down, Ginny!" Neville pleaded. He was exhausted and honestly too tired to answer a hundred questions, but Ginny's energy and enthusiasm buoyed him for a moment or two. Besides, he too was anxious to discuss his newfound discoveries with someone who would understand.

"How much do you know Gin?" he asked.

"I only know you saved Ron and there were others who were worse off at St. Mungo's."

"Yes, there were four others. All but one responded to the potion, but Pansy was too far gone to save."

"PANSY? Pansy Parkinson was attacked?"

"Yes, didn't you know?"

"No, I didn't know." Ginny said numbly. "She's… she's…"

"She's dead, Ginny. There was nothing I could do. She got the worst of the attack."

"Oh Gods, no!" Ginny cried. This day, which should have been romantic and carefree, had become a nightmare. Suddenly, it hit her. "Draco? Was he attacked too?"

"No, he wasn't at the Three Broomsticks during the attack, but he was at the hospital with Pansy until just before I left. He was out of his mind, and he keeps blaming himself for some reason. Apparently, Pansy was in The Three Broomsticks waiting for him. He thinks they targeted her to get to him." Neville's voice broke with emotion. "The Healers tried Gin, but they just couldn't bring her back."

"Oh no," she sobbed. "Poor Draco. Where is he now?"

"No idea. He left in a rage, but Professor Snape made sure he came back to school. Otherwise, Merlin only knows what he would have done. Gin, I've got to get some sleep. We'll talk in the morning." And with that, Neville made a speedy exit, before Ginny could think of more questions.

Ginny was panicked. She had to help Draco, she had to at least try. But she knew the idea wouldn't be well received by Harry or her brother.

"Harry, I have to help him," she said pleadingly.

Harry raised his resigned eyes to meet Ginny's. The thought of Ginny comforting Malfoy and of him touching her, sickened Harry. But this was who she was: when she saw pain she tried to fix it, and Harry knew this better than anyone.

"I know you do, Gin," Harry nodded.

"You know how it feels to have Voldemort target people you love! He shouldn't be alone right now."

"I'm not arguing with you, Gin," Harry sighed.

"No. You're not, are you?" she pondered. Harry shook his head. "I guess I was expecting the typical Ron reaction." Ginny launched herself at Harry, covering his resistant face with kisses. "Gods, I love you Harry Potter!"

"Let's not forget that, okay?" Harry said quietly as he released her.

"Never!" she said gazing at him adoringly.

"Do you know where he'd go?" Harry asked.

"I have an idea: he likes to hide on top of one of the abandoned turrets, but it's too cold to stay out there for too long, even with a warming charm. If he's not there I may need the Marauder's Map, okay?" she called as she ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

"Yeah, sure Gin," Harry said icily, once she was out of earshot. "Whatever I can do to send you back into the arms of Malfoy! Fucking idiot Potter! Why can't you put your foot down with her? Because she'll do what she wants to do anyway, and then be pissed off at me for trying to stop her," he argued with himself. "Spineless pussy! Can't even control your own woman! You should show her who's the boss! She's the boss!"

"Who are you talking to Harry?" Ginny asked as she descended the stairs wrapped in her warmest cloak and clutching her broom.

"No one," Harry answered sheepishly.

"I don't know when I'll be back; I'll stay as long as I have to. Don't worry about me." Ginny must have caught a glimpse of Harry's inner turmoil because before she raced through the portrait hole she said, "I love _you_, don't ever forget that."

It took Ginny several passes over Draco's turret before she spotted a form in the shadows, under an arch.

As she landed behind him, she thought she heard far off screaming silenced by a dull thud. Draco was sitting on the floor of the turret concentrating on the space in front of him.

"Draco?" she called quietly

Draco started and turned. He stared at Ginny momentarily as though he'd never seen her before and then he turned his back on her again.

Again, Ginny thought she heard far off screaming. "NO! MELORD, NO! I BEG YOU!" and then a thud silenced the scream. The thud seemed to be coming from where Draco was sitting, so Ginny moved around him to see what he was doing.

He had a large rock in his hand and a pile of white powder before him. It seemed as though he'd been crushing something with the rock.

"Go away Weasley! I don't need your brand of Gryffindor sympathy and understanding at the moment."

"I just came to see if you're alright."

"Clearly, I'm fine." Draco reached into his cloak and pulled out a small white object. Ginny couldn't make out what it was, so she moved closer.

"Draco, I know after this morning I'm not your favourite person, but I'd like to help."

Draco pondered for a moment, as though he couldn't recall the reason for her words and then he snorted. "Your asinine sense of humour isn't remotely at the forefront of my thought process right now, Weasley," he spat.

Draco placed the object he was holding on the ground before him and raised the rock. "SIR! NO! PLEASE HAVE MERCY!" Draco let the large stone crash down on the small begging knight. In an instant it was pulverized into powder.

"Draco! No! You're killing your chessmen! You love your chessmen!"

"I like the screaming," he said coldly. "I have to kill **something**," he said as he reached for another chessman and positioned him.

"No Draco! That's not who you are!"

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT WEASLEY?" he exploded. "You don't know who I am! You never did! You only know who you wanted me to be! You only know how you wanted to save me and reform me! You don't know who I am!"

"Draco, please…"

"The only person who knows me… the only person who doesn't think I'm a poor damaged soul… I killed her!" Draco pounded the trembling chessman with the rock before he even had a chance to scream for mercy and he kept pounding, long after it had been rendered into dust. Draco was crying now, uncontrollably "I killed her… I killed her, Ginny… I killed her…"

"No, no you didn't. I don't know what happened exactly, but I know you didn't kill Pansy. You loved her more than anything." Ginny sat on the ground with Draco and she wrested the rock away from him and wrapped her arms around him. He didn't have the energy to resist her and he allowed himself to melt into her embrace while he cried. Ginny was startled by how cold he was; he was trembling, and she quickly cast a warming charm.

She held Draco for a long time until finally he calmed down and his breathing returned to normal.

"Tell me what happened, Draco," she whispered, stroking his hair.

"She asked for a special day, I promised her a special day," Draco spoke slowly, without emotion as though he were speaking of people he didn't know. "She thought we were going to have lunch at The Three Broomsticks, but I was just planning to use the Floo there to take us to London for the day."

"Where were you? Why was she in the pub alone?" Ginny asked gently.

"I got a message this morning, from my Aunt Bella."

"Bellatrix Lestrange?" Ginny asked, and Draco nodded.

"She said she wanted to meet with me, and she had a message from the Dark Lord. She told me to bring as many security wizards as I needed to, that she just wanted to help. I didn't believe her, but she's my aunt… and I didn't think she'd hurt me."

"Draco…" Ginny said, disbelievingly.

"Yes, I know… you would have told me a different story," he sighed. "So, I met with her. I thought I could get some information out of her about Voldemort's plans to become immortal. We have to know, don't we?"

"Did you?"

"Not much. She told me the Dark Lord knows Potter was in his mind. She said he'll be unable to get in again. She said he was showing Harry what he wanted him to see. She told me the Dark Lord was growing impatient with me. That he intended to have my allegiance, no matter how he had to break me to get it. She said she didn't want to see me lose everything I care about. She told me my mother would be killed if I didn't…"

"Remember in Snape's office? Harry said Voldemort hated you as much as he hated Harry? You said you didn't know why, but you do know, don't you?"

Draco nodded. "I've been ignoring summons after summons. I've been cutting off his streams of revenue and supplies which used to come from the Malfoy estate."

"Draco, that's wonderful!"

"I haven't been doing it for the Order, Ginny. I've been doing for the good of the Malfoy estate. I thought I could become neutral, neither helping nor hindering either side. But I see now that I was naïve. Voldemort only sees those who obey him and those who don't."

"And it was a trap by your aunt?"

"Yes," Draco nodded. "I told her I had no intention of becoming Voldemort's minion, and she told me I would live to regret that decision. That's when I started hearing explosions and screams from town. They were attacking The Three Broomsticks! I had taken my security team with me, but I hadn't thought to leave any of them with Pansy." Draco's voice finally cracked as his thoughts returned to Pansy and he began to lose control of his emotions again.

"Sshh…it's not your fault, you couldn't have known… that's how he works, Draco."

"No, I killed her… as much as if I'd done the _Cruciatus_ Curse myself."

"That's not true." Ginny longed to compare Draco's ordeal to Harry's feelings over the death of Sirius, but Ginny knew Draco would take no comfort from being compared to Harry Potter. She would have to find another way. It would be a long night.

"Draco, it's cold out here. Let's go in, I know a place where we can be warm and alone and comfortable."

"Where's that?"

"The Room of Requirement, remember you raided a DA meeting there last year? Can we go there?"

Draco nodded.

"Where's your broom?"

Draco pointed to the other end of the turret. He was drawn and weak and Ginny worried whether he could even ride a broom in his condition.

"Go get it," she whispered, nudging him in the direction of his broom.

When Draco's back was turned she quickly performed a _Reparo_ charm on the broken chessmen and pocketed them. Draco would want them back when he was feeling better.

It was past three the following afternoon and there was still was no sign of Ginny. Against his own better judgment, Harry had watched the Marauders Map the previous evening. He had watched Ginny find Draco on the turret and watched them together for an hour at least. Then he had seen them fly off and disappear into the Room of Requirement. He couldn't see within the room, but he assumed they were still holed up in there.

Harry was walking to the Hospital wing to visit Ron, who wouldn't be released for at least another few days. Harry was hoping a chat with Ron would get his mind off the knot in his stomach.

"Hey mate!" Ron said cheerfully.

"I see Hermione was here," Harry smirked indicating the huge pile of Chocolate Frogs on the bedside table. Harry neglected to point out the other signs of Hermione's recent presence, those being Ron's lips were puffed to the size of a blowfish, he had a love bite on his neck, and… no… Harry didn't want to think about what he thought he saw under the blanket.

"Yeah…erm, she just left a few minutes ago… she was… erm, helping me unwrap the candy. I can't do much with these," he said waving his gauze covered hands.

"I'll just bet," Harry said dryly.

"Hey! Where's Gin? She hasn't been to see me at all today."

"No, I haven't seen her around either," Harry returned casually, hoping the subject might change.

"What do you mean you haven't seen her around?" Ron laughed. "You two are practically joined at the hip! Well… not literally… erm… you know what I mean."

Now it was Harry's turn to laugh at his friend's fumbling. "Unfortunately, we're not joined at the hip today, Ron. As you can see."

"Well where is she?"

_Why can't Weasleys ever let a subject drop?_ thought Harry. "Last I saw she'd gone to spend some time with Malfoy."

"Oh, well I suppose that's alright. They are friends after all… and Malfoy must be busted up about Parkinson. Hermione told me about her," he said sadly. "She was a nice girl… got to know her a bit on rounds, I liked her a lot." Ron paused, in a rare moment of emotional self-reflection. "We have to kill that bastard, Harry." Ron finished quietly.

"I know, we will," Harry returned solemnly.

"Mr. Potter," Professor Snape sneered from the door of the hospital wing, "a word please?"

"He said 'please' to me," Harry grumbled under his breath to Ron.

"Hades must be chilly today," snickered Ron.

"Catch you later, mate… this'll probably take a while." Harry rolled his eyes and hopped off Ron's bed, exiting with Professor Snape.

"Mr. Potter, I realize this is a long shot, but do you happen to know where I could find Mr. Malfoy?"

"I have a few ideas. Why?"

"Potter, don't test my patience today! Go and find Draco, and then both of you are to report to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately."

"Why?" Harry repeated.

"Potter!"

"Professor Snape, if I can find him, Malfoy will be in no mood to take orders from me. That doesn't happen even when he's in the best of moods. I need to know why."

"There have been more attacks… he's needed." Professor Snape filled Harry in as best he could, and soon Harry was racing toward the Room of Requirements at full speed.

Once outside the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, Harry realized that Draco and Ginny would have required a private place where no one could find them. Harry's only hope of getting inside quickly was to make enough ruckus outside so as to attract their attention. Harry began pounding on the wall where he knew the door should be and screaming at the top of his lungs. He had to admit to himself that it was rather a relief to have a more than valid excuse to break up their little reunion.

"Did you hear that?" Draco mumbled sleepily.

After a long and painful night he'd finally gone to sleep on the sofa before the fire. The only thing helping to ward off his many nightmares was Ginny's hand gently stroking his hair while he slept with his head on her lap.

Ginny woke with a start. "It sounds like Harry. Let him in, Draco."

"I knew he couldn't resist rescuing you from my clutches for much longer," Draco grumbled as he mentally instructed the room to open for Harry.

The open door materialized from the solid castle stone and Harry stumbled through it before he realized what was happening.

Harry blinked several times at the dark room before him, and it took him several seconds to make out the two figures sitting on the sofa staring at him. Unbidden relief flooded Harry's mind as he surveyed the room and saw no signs of any behaviour he would find disturbing. Harry pushed the shame of his doubt out of his mind for the moment and tried to concentrate on his mission.

"Harry! Is everything alright?" Ginny asked.

"No, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have come if I didn't have to. Malfoy, Professor Dumbledore needs you right away."

"My mother?" he asked with a slight tone of panic in his voice, rising immediately.

"No. At least I don't think so. There've been more attacks. Several Muggle families have been killed and injured."

"So? I don't know any Muggles."

"It's Astrid… her parents have been killed. She's screaming for you."

Draco bounded out the door before Harry could finish his sentence.

"Gin, you alright?" Harry asked the stunned Ginny, once Draco was gone.

"I'm good, Harry," said rising and kissing him gently. "But it was a long night; I think I helped him but I don't know how much more Draco can take."

"Hopefully a he can take a bit more. Come on let's go catch-up with him.

Over an hour later, Astrid was still sobbing in Draco's arms as he muttered reassurances to her.

Professor Dumbledore was getting continual updates from Order members in the field and Harry and Ginny were helping him sift through the endless stream of Owls arriving. As far as they could tell, no other parents of Hogwarts students had been targeted.

"Ginny," Draco interrupted from his corner with Astrid.

"Yes, Draco?"

"This is no place for her," he said indicating Astrid, "would you and Potter take her to… the room, while I have a word with Professor Dumbledore? I want to make sure my mother is protected, among other things. I'll join you there shortly."

"Of course, Draco," she said moving to take Astrid from him, but she just clung to him tighter and wouldn't let go.

Draco mumbled something to her and finally she nodded.

"Why don't you take her, Potter? She can be handful."

Draco passed the sniffling Astrid from his arms into Harry's, but Astrid resisted the transfer and insisted on being put down.

"I can walk, I'm not a baby!" she glared menacingly at Harry.

"Lead on," Harry gestured through the door, smirking as Astrid stomped out of Professor Dumbledore's office.

He held his hand out to Ginny, she took it and they followed Astrid down the winding stairs. But at the bottom of the stairs Ginny paused.

"Harry, I'd like to visit Ron in the hospital wing. Can you bring Astrid to the Room of Requirements? I'll meet you and Draco there in a bit."

"Yeah, sure Gin. Ron'll be glad to see you."

Harry and Astrid continued on alone, Astrid leading the way until she realized she didn't know how to get to the Room of Requirement, so she slowed her pace to allow Harry to guide her.

As they walked along, Astrid's former bravado began to crumble and by the time they arrived at the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, she looked to be on the verge of sobbing once again. She watched him warily he paced back and forth. Since he had no idea about the specifics of what Astrid needed, he wished for a sanctuary and he was given a lovely room with a huge roaring fire and large windows looking out on a snowy afternoon. There was a soft and comfortable looking sofa and two equally cosy chairs. A chocolaty smell wafted through the room, and best Harry could tell the scent was coming from a teapot set-up on a small table in the corner.

But Astrid did not pause to notice any of these things; as soon as the door opened she threw herself onto the sofa and burst into a fresh batch of tears.

Harry looked at the helpless little girl tightly curled on the sofa. His heart broke at the agony he saw in her eyes. Harry understood what it meant to be alone, he remembered all too clearly how losing a loved one felt. He poured then both a cup of chocolate and gingerly sat on the sofa next to her.

"Hey. We've never really been introduced, I'm Harry," he said nudging her, trying to get her to take the drink.

"I know who you are, Potter. I'm not an idiot," she said testily, trying to look as indignant as she could through her puffy eyes. She sat up reluctantly, seduced by the smell of chocolate, and took the offered cup.

"I know you're not, but I know that anyone who can torture Malfoy as well as you is a friend of mine."

Astrid glared at him, but only managed to look more pathetic and miserable. "It's easier than it looks," she shrugged. "You know, he doesn't like you."

Harry let out a loud bark of a laugh. "I know… it's mutual."

Astrid shifted in her seat, sat up a bit, and seemed grateful to have something new to occupy her mind for a moment.

"But why?" she asked. "Because of the Weasel girl?"

Harry smiled. "Her name's Ginny and…"

"I know!" Astrid snapped.

"And no," Harry continued, "it started long before Ginny, when we were your age."

"Don't you think it's time you both got over it?" she asked while blowing her nose quite loudly.

"No, I don't," Harry said matter-of-factly. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but do you have family? Somewhere to go?"

"Family? I have an aunt and uncle, but they've never liked me. They think I'm difficult and weird. They don't believe in magic."

"I know what that's like. I was raised by people like that. So how do you know so much magic? When I started school I had no idea what to do. Everything was new to me."

"My mum had some friends who were magical: an elderly couple, and they taught me and gave me books. They made sure I was ready."

"I wish I had that."

"Keep practicing Potter, you may catch-up someday."

"Thanks," Harry laughed. This little girl was funny; even through her tears she could hurl insults with the best of them.

Harry looked at her carefully; he had never really noticed her before. Of course, he had always admired her work from afar. Particularly when Ginny and Draco were dating, she did everything she could to keep them apart. His personal favourite was when she hexed Draco with itching, oozing boils which were extremely contagious. It was brilliant! It kept Ginny away from Draco for almost a week.

He'd never noticed her eyes before now. He knew they were violet, but they were so much more than that. It was as if one could read her soul in her eyes, and she had a very old and wise soul.

"Could you stay with that wizarding couple?" Harry asked, not sure why he was so concerned about Astrid's fate, but he was.

"Oh no! They're far too old. Ancient. They like me more than my aunt and uncle, but they think I'm difficult too. Doesn't matter anyway," she added with a sniff.

"What do you mean?"

"Draco will take care of me," she answered with absolute conviction.

"You're kidding?" Harry gasped.

"No. Draco and I will be together."

"What? No Astrid, I don't think that will happen.

"Yes it will," she said with continued confidence.

"Astrid he's just a kid too. He can't take care of a little girl."

"I'm not that little!" she bristled. "We'll take care of each other."

Harry didn't quite know what to make of the situation. He knew Draco and Astrid were close, but this was bordering on sick. Surely Draco would have enough good sense to not accept Astrid's wishes.

"Where's Ginny?" Draco asked as he entered the room. Astrid immediately bounded out of the seat and threw herself into Draco's arms. Draco led them both back to a comfortable chair by the fire and let Astrid settle onto his lap. Suddenly she had disintegrated from tough warrior back into shuddering little girl.

"Gone to visit her brother in the hospital wing. She'll be along," Harry said.

"Potter, I can handle it from here. Besides, the Headmaster wants to see you again."

"Bugger! What now?"

"I think he wants to tell you that the Order has a new ally against Voldemort."

Astrid extracted her head from Draco's neck and looked him intently. "It's you isn't it?" she gasped and then threw her arms around him again. "I know it's you, I know you'll kill him for me."

"I'm not doing this just for you Monster, it's a lot bigger than that," Draco answered her, but his eyes were locked with Harry's. "And you're to keep it quiet Astrid, do you understand? Not a word of it around Slytherin house." Astrid nodded into Draco's neck as Draco continued to talk to a speechless Harry. "It's time I take a side; I couldn't live with myself otherwise."

"Ginny will be pleased, she worries about you," Harry said emotionlessly.

"We'll be together, right Draco? We'll take care of each other forever, right?" Astrid sniffled into his neck.

Harry couldn't help but smirk at Draco's reaction to her idea; it was clear this was the first he'd heard of it. But his face quickly calmed as the realization settled on him.

"You bet, Monster. It's you and me." And then Draco's focus shifted back to Harry. "Run along Potter, don't keep the Headmaster waiting. And Potter… tell Granger to find me. I may be able to help her unravel her Carina de Florette mystery."

A short while later, Ginny found Draco and Astrid in the same position they were in when Harry left, sitting together with Astrid weeping into Draco's into shoulder.

Ginny was livid. "Is it true? Are you insane?"

"Good evening, Weaslette. I see you met Perfect Potter in the corridor."

"Yes, and he told me to come and talk some sense into you!"

"This is unexpected, I thought you'd approve of me joining the side of goodness and righteousness."

"Not that! I'm thrilled about that! Harry said Astrid thinks you're going to take care of her and you seem willing to consider it!"

"Oh that. Well, yes that's correct. Right Monster?"

"Mmmhmm," Astrid mumbled.

"Draco! You can't just keep her; she's not a lost puppy!"

"I think I can. And I will."

"Draco, you don't understand. People talk… they're already talking about how close you two are! They say terrible things!"

"I don't care what people think!"

"Tell her Draco," sniffled Astrid, "she thinks you're a perv."

"Ginny knows better!" Draco scoffed, "Don't you?"

Ginny smiled at Draco and tried to convey complete confidence in him, but there must have been something amiss in her expression because Draco furrowed his brow and scowled at her.

"You're just as bad as your shallow minded friends after all, aren't you?" he spat. "I'm a Malfoy, so deep down I can only be evil! There's a part of you that still believes that, isn't there? Fine! Believe what you will!"

Ginny cringed at the harshness of Draco's tone, but she also struggled with the fact that there may have been some truth in his words. She couldn't meet Draco's eyes.

"Draco!" Astrid interrupted, "Don't be an arse! You know you care what she thinks! Tell her!"

"Somebody tell me!" Ginny snapped impatiently.

Draco squeezed Astrid tenderly, and moved her from his lap onto a chair by the fire. He then sat next to Ginny on the sofa. After what seemed like hours, he began to speak.

"It's not only my right to take custody of Astrid, it's my responsibility," he paused again while he gathered his thoughts. "Remember you told me that Astrid was behaving strangely after the New Year?"

"Yes, of course."

"I spoke to her, as you suggested and you were right, she was terrified of me. She cringed away when I tried to touch her."

"But why?"

"It took me quite a long time to get her to talk. I assured her I wouldn't hurt her and asked her to tell me what had happened and finally she told me. It seems that when Astrid went home for Christmas she was going on and on about some boy named Draco. Telling her parents ad nauseum about how brilliant and witty and deliciously evil he was, with the classic good looks of a…"

"I get the picture Draco," Ginny interrupted, "let's move on."

Ginny chuckled when she saw that Astrid was smirking even through her pain.

"Whatever. Naturally, when her parents discovered that the boy their eleven year old daughter fancied was seventeen they became a bit concerned and began asking questions. It didn't take them long to discover my last name was Malfoy and they knew they had to put an end to her infatuation."

"But they're Muggles, how would they know…"

"Let me finish, Gin. They sat Astrid down and told her a terrible story: a story that no one should have to hear, let alone live through." Draco's voice cracked and he paused to gather his thoughts. Ginny waited intently for him to continue. "They told her that twelve years before, her mother had been the victim of an attack. From the sound of it, it was a night of drunken Muggle baiting which turned to rape."

"Oh gods," Ginny gasped.

"They also told her that the man she knows and loves as her father is not her natural father."

"No…"

"Ginny, Astrid's my sister."

"No… it's impossible."

"That was my first reaction too."

"Your father… I mean… I know he's capable of doing terrible things, but that goes against everything he believes in…" Ginny began.

"Yes, he hates Muggles and believes the mixing of blood is an abomination. I don't know how many times I heard that word growing up. But apparently if one is drunk enough and the woman is attractive enough, then exceptions can be made."

"Draco, I… I don't know what to say..."

"You know the worst part Gin? All this happened so long ago. Voldemort was gone and no one really believed he would come back. My father wasn't following anyone's orders; there was no master plan involved. It was just for fun! My father raped, beat and left a woman for dead… for fun. I know he'd done some awful things in the past, and you've told me he's a monster. I have to believe it now. How could I have been so blind?"

"He's your father, you love him."

"Gin, one more thing, this is Astrid's secret. She'd prefer not to let the world know this news. I can't say I blame her."

"I won't tell anyone, I promise. I can't say I completely believe it anyway."

Draco chuckled. "Gin, look at her. How could we have not seen it? The way she looks, the way she behaves; she's a Malfoy through and through."

"Mmm, I admit she is annoying enough to be your sister," Ginny admitted, while yawning involuntarily.

"Gin, you should go. You've done enough and I know how grateful I am, but I'll be fine now, we both will. You need to rest, you have classes tomorrow."

Ginny nodded. "Okay, I'll go, but you need to rest too." Ginny ran her hand over Draco's hair and turned to leave.

Draco caught her hand as she pulled away and stopped her. "Thank you, Ginny." And then he pulled her into a long, affectionate hug.

When he released her, she said "You're welcome, Draco. Good night. Good night Astrid, you're in good hands."

As Ginny walked alone toward Gryffindor Tower, she began to feel the effects of her momentous weekend. Her head was throbbing from shedding too many tears; tears for Ron, for Pansy and Draco and tears for Astrid. Her body was numb from lack of sleep.

But now that it seemed as thought the war had started in earnest, would there be more days like this?

The only thing Ginny was sure of at that moment was that nothing would ever be same.

**Authors Notes:**

As always thanks to Jocjarmom for the beta, and her continued support through the long and busy summer. (And don't forget about her outtake on Checkmated)

Igive all credit for Ginny's prank limerick to the fair Jocjarmom! There have been several versions of the limerick and many interesting discussions regarding which one to use. Originally Jocjarmom had created this little ditty for me:

_Your eyes are green as a fresh pickled toad_

_So I sing you this very gay ode_

_I wish you'd suck on my cock_

_Which is hard as a rock_

_And then you could swallow my load!_

This one is my absolute favorite! And I strongly considered keeping it in the story, but in the end we felt it was a bit too harsh and mean spirited and that perhaps Harry and Draco would NEVER speak to Ginny again! And since they both must forgive her fairly quickly JJM toned it down and delivered this one:

_Your eyes are green as a fresh pickled toad_  
_And surprisingly I love you a load!_  
_I've heard that toads love to snog…_  
_Perhaps you'd like to see my log?_  
_Harry, come on over to my humble abode!_

I like this one also, but I felt it was a bit too cute and not offensive enough. I really needed Ginny to go too far in this incident. Our Ginny is a dear and we love her, but she's not perfect, and she is in over her head quite often.

So we finally came up with the limerick which was used. I hope you approve of our choice.

BTW, if anyone has a brilliant idea for Draco's revenge (not sure it will be covered in the story yet) send me an email.

I want to give an added word of thanks to EVERYONE who takes the time to email me and write reviews. I promise I read and cherish each one, (even the snarky ones).

I try to respond to emails that are sent to me personally, but lately there have been so many (everyone's worried about the lateness of this chapter), I haven't been able to respond to some of them.

I figured you'd want me to spend my scant free time writing a chapter rather than answering emails; I hope I was correct in that assumption.

This story has gotten as far as it has solely because of the loving support of my readers; my limited attention span would have pulled me away long ago without your support, nagging, and threats.

On a more serious note:

I want to thank all of you who have emailed me about the new story on HPFF. If any more of you stumble across it you don't need to tell me about it, I know. It has been reported to the mods there and we are working on it.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Resolve

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 19: Resolve **

Ginny blissfully whiled away the hours in her favorite spot in the world, her Bower.

She had spent hours and hours during the summer watching a couple of robins raise their young family. By the time the she had returned home for the summer, the birds had already built their home and Ginny had a clear view of the nest from her hammock amidst the branches and leaves of the large oak. The mama bird seemed a bit peeved at first when Ginny and Harry climbed into the Bower and found that the humans had a birds-eye-view to her very private activities. However, the pair of robins quickly realized Harry and Ginny were harmless and soon forgot they were there.

Once the small eggs had hatched, they were far too busy to worry about their observers anyway, as their five little hatchlings kept them extremely busy. As the weeks of summer passed, Ginny watched the babies grow from stringy-little-uglies into fluffy-hungry-lumps and now, as the summer had ripened they could no longer all fit into their tiny nest. The babies jostled for position kicking one another out of the nest and wrestling for the food, as their haggard parents still worked tirelessly to feed them. Ginny chuckled as she noted the many similarities to a Weasley family dinner.

Ginny spent many hours in the Bower alone. Harry often joined her, but she enjoyed the time alone. Harry was single-minded these days: all thought was devoted to defeating Voldemort, all conversation was about defeating Voldemort. There was little time or energy for anything else, and during the time they spent together, they usually practiced the magical exercises designed by Professor Snape to strengthen their magical bond. Harry would often be gone for days at a time meeting with members of the Order and other wizarding factions who were also scheming to end Voldemort's reign.

Ginny worried about him constantly, but she also knew these meetings were geared only towards planning, training and information gathering. Everyone was taking great pains to keep Harry safe from Voldemort grasp until the time was right. However it couldn't have been more obvious that the final battle was approaching… everyone could sense it coming. Voldemort's attacks had been escalating throughout the spring and summer, and although the Weasleys endeavored to live life as normally as possible, life was not normal. The end was near.

Ron spent his days working in his brothers' joke shop. If anyone asked him he'd say he was stocking the shelves and cleaning up. And occasionally Fred and George allowed their younger brother to wait on customers. But Ginny knew the truth. Ron was really working in their secret underground laboratory. Ron didn't talk about the details of what he did, but Ginny suspected his and the twins' activities were very dangerous and not quite legal.

Hermione met daily with Draco in the library of Grimmauld Place. Initially they'd met a few days here and there, but as the summer went further on their meetings became more frequent. Although their research about Carina de Florette had progressed slightly, they still hadn't discovered the key she was counting on.

Ginny hadn't seen Draco since the end of the school year. After Pansy's death he'd withdrawn within himself, concentrating his efforts only on Astrid, Malfoy family business and assisting Hermione with her research. Whenever Ginny asked Hermione how he was doing, she would report him to be sullen, terse, testy and only moderately helpful, but overall more pleasant than she'd ever known him to be. Apparently even after months of working closely together, Hermione was still completely immune to any of Draco's charms. Or perhaps he just chose not to reveal them to Hermione; Ginny wasn't sure which was the truth. As far as Ginny could tell, the best that could be said for their relationship was that it was strictly professional; perhaps for Draco and Hermione that was all one could ask.

Ginny rose from her comfortable hammock and bid her robin family good day. She had promised to meet her friends down by the swimming pond after lunch. This was one of the rare days when they all had managed to keep an afternoon free from their various responsibilities and they were all looking forward to a few hours of laziness together.

Ginny was also eager to reveal her new swimming costume to Harry, as it was sure to take his mind off his worries. Mrs. Weasley, in an effort to cool the long and lustful stares that bounced between the two of them constantly, had bought her a very practical and extremely modest suit as an early birthday present. In fact, it was something a ninety year old great-grandmother would be proud to wear as it covered her almost completely from shoulders to thighs in thick black wool. Ginny, however, showing signs of great maturity, took the bathing costume gratefully from her mother without complaint. But then she had used her improving magical skills and her powerful connection with Harry to charm the suit into something Harry would never forget.

As Ginny made her way through the long grass which surrounded the pond she smiled to herself as she heard the comforting sounds of Ron and Hermione bickering in the distance.

"I don't know why you have to spend so much time with the Ferret alone," grumbled Ron.

"Honestly Ron! He's been almost useful actually; he knows more about dark magic than any of us. And we're not alone. That pesky little Astrid follows him everywhere. AND…" Hermione continued, as she slowly worked herself into a state, "it's not like you're sitting home alone; you're working in your brothers' shop on most days."

"Why do you think Astrid's so pesky Hermione?" Harry asked lazily as he lay on his stomach on the dock, staring into the water, and using his wand to play with the tiny minnows beneath the surface. "She seems alright to me. She knows how to work Malfoy into a lather, you gotta like that."

Hermione pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. "It's just… well… she just has an opinion about everything! She's such a little know-it-all! It's exasperating!"

Harry and Ron endeavored to keep their faces neutral, but as soon as their eyes met they dissolved into fits of laughter.

"What?" demanded Hermione.

"Nothing," Harry supplied quickly.

"Nothing, Love. Nothing at all," Ron chuckled.

"And Draco! Well, Draco thinks she can do no wrong!"

"HE'S DRACO NOW?" Ron exploded. "I'm surprised you didn't ask him to join us today! The two of you are so inseparable!"

"Honestly Ron! And if I had invited him, the two of you would have snuck off somewhere to play chess! Now there's an unnatural relationship, if I've ever seen one!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" pouted Ron.

"What do you mean, Hermione?" Harry asked, trying to drag his friends away from a row on this fine day. "What about Astrid? What sort of annoying things does she do?"

"Well," Hermione huffed, sat-up ramrod straight and pursed her lips in a manner that warned Harry and Ron they had opened a can of worms, so they both prepared themselves for a long story. That was fine, they had all day.

"For example, the first time Draco and I got together to discuss working on Carina de Florette… you know… he'd said he had some information which might be helpful, so I asked 'What?'

"Astrid was there at the time, and Draco, well… you know he must always be as condescending as possible… he turned to Astrid and asked: 'Monster, if you were given the task of researching someone called Carina de Florette, where would you look?'

"And then Astrid kind of snorted and said: 'It's so obvious a flobberworm could figure it out.' And then, Malfoy said: 'See that, Granger? A flobberworm could figure it out, and you've been working on the problem for what? Six months now?'

"So I said: 'Shut it, Malfoy! She didn't answer the question, did she?'

"And he said: 'You think she's bluffing, do you? Answer the question, Monster.' I must tell you all, a more appropriate nickname I've never heard."

Ron and Harry grinned a greeting to Ginny as she stepped onto the dock, but Ginny could tell by the tenor of Hermione's voice that this was not a time to interrupt. So she silently sat on the end of the dock next to Harry and melted into his arms as they wrapped around her from behind, pulling her close. He then planted a silent kiss on the delicate spot just behind and beneath her ear. He then whispered, "Shhh, this is getting good."

"And the little brat," Hermione continued, "just rolled her eyes and said, 'Obviously, Carina is a constellation, isn't it? And exactly what family do we know who is twisted enough to name their children after constellations and whatnot? Hmmm?... DRACO?' She added just to rub it in! And then she continued: 'If you want know anything you'd have to look in the Black family archives. Duh!' Do you believe her?" Hermione shrieked and continued. "And Malfoy is just as bad as her! He just chuckled and said: 'That's my girl.'"

"Eeew," Ron cringed, "the fact that Malfoy thinks of a child as his girl… is just wrong."

"Ron!" Ginny interrupted.

"Ron, that's not my point!" Hermione scolded simultaneously.

"Hermione," Harry asked, "so what you're saying is that Astrid figured out in seconds something that you hadn't come up with in more than six months of research? How annoying for you," he chuckled.

"Well, I can't remember everything!" Hermione snapped. "We learned constellations in first year! Ages ago! Of course she remembered it better than me!"

"Easy Hermione," Ron soothed, "we still think you're a genius."

"It's not as if she's even right!" Hermione continued indignantly. "We've been researching in the Grimmauld Place library for two months and found nothing."

"Hermione, did you remember to invite Draco to my birthday party next week?" Ginny asked.

"Oh, bloody hell!" groaned Ron.

"Yeah Ginny, but he didn't say he'd come, he just grunted as usual," Hermione answered.

"Do we really have to have that git to the Burrow again? He doesn't belong here!" Ron growled.

"He's my friend! And it's my birthday party! So shut it, Ron!" Ginny scolded. "I'm going for a swim," she added grumpily, wishing they could have one afternoon of peace and fun without all this talk of Carina de Florette and Voldemort.

Ginny swiftly removed her t-shirt cover-up and dove into the pond, barely hearing Ron's burst of laughter when he saw Ginny's suit.

"Merlin! You're not really wearing that ghastly thing in public, are you?" he laughed as she disappeared beneath the water.

Harry looked at his girlfriend and prepared to join his best mate in teasing her, but when Harry saw Ginny dive from the end of the dock he nearly swallowed his tongue at the sight.

"What the…" he gasped as he swiftly discarded his shirt and dove in after her.

Ginny was a swift swimmer and was able to reach the middle of the pond before she allowed Harry to catch her.

Harry stopped her and pulled her towards him and Ginny emerged from the water, laughing deeply as she allowed herself to be restrained.

"Ginny! What are you doing?" Harry hissed.

"Why Harry, whatever do you mean?" she asked, still laughing uncontrollably at Harry's shock.

"Ginny! You're not wearing anything!"

"Pardon?" she giggled. "Do you think I'd parade around naked in front of my brother? Eeew!"

"Ginny! You're in my arms and I look down and I see EVERYTHING! What are you up to?"

"Oh!" she continued to giggle, "well actually, that's your own fault!"

"Ginny! What are you up to?" Harry insisted, while Ginny pulled herself even closer to him and wrapped her legs around him underwater, so Harry was forced to tread water for both of them.

"I've just been practicing our connection exercises, like we've been told. Let's just say that giving you the ability to see things others can't is a perk I discovered along the way."

A stunned Harry forgot to swim for a moment and the two of them unexpectedly sank beneath the water. Ginny pushed away from him and began to swim back toward shore. Harry, however quickly recovered and caught her again.

"Ginny, this is brilliant!

"Like I said, you only have your own randy nature to blame, Harry! It's only invisible if you want it to be."

"I thought you liked my randy. Do you think you could charm all your clothes like this?" he whispered, letting his hands roam freely underwater.

"No! I can't have you in a constant state! You need to save the world, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Do you think we could sneak back to the Bower?"

"Harry, we're supposed to spend the afternoon with Roan and Hermione."

Harry nibbled her neck in the spot guaranteed to sway her desires his way.

"I don't think they'll care. Look."

Ginny glanced at the dock just in time to see Ron and Hermione disappear into the long grass surrounding the pond.

"How rude!" Ginny pouted insincerely. "I guess we're on our own then."

"Bower?" Harry asked with puppy dog eyes.

"Bower." Ginny nodded.

Draco looked up from the parchments Mr. Quigley requested he review and sign. He rubbed his eyes, and rotated his head around several times easing the pressure in his tense neck.

His eyes focused on Astrid, sleeping on the chair across the room.

"Oh bloody hell, I forgot about you," he grumbled to himself, and then strode across the room and lifted the sleeping girl into his arms. It was two in the morning, long past time for a twelve year old to be in bed.

As he carried her to her own bedroom in Malfoy Manor, the thought that he'd taken on too much by bringing Astrid into his life crossed his mind for the ninety-eighth time that summer. He didn't know what to do with a little girl. He was fairly certain that his current parenting method of buying her anything she wanted to make her happy was not the best way to go.

Draco wished his mother were there to help him, but that was out of the question. His mother was outside of England for her own safety; besides he could hardly ask her to help raise the product of her husband's careless cruelties. Draco hadn't even had the heart to write his mother about Astrid's existence yet, but he knew it had to be done soon.

If only Pansy… no, he wouldn't think about that.

The truth was Astrid's presence had been a great relief to Draco. She gave him something to concentrate on other than his own troubles, and she really didn't demand much. She seemed content to just be with him, so he took her wherever he went and treated her as an equal, involving her in decisions that should be far beyond the grasp of a child. He hoped that if he was just there for her, he wouldn't screw her up too badly.

Draco ignored the raised eyebrows and snickering that seemed to follow them everywhere and Astrid never acknowledged them either.

"Draco?" Astrid murmured, still half asleep as Draco deposited her on her bed.

"Bedtime, Monster. You should have been in bed hours ago."

"I forgot."

"I need you to try to remember to get yourself to bed. Okay?"

"Sorry, I'll try," she said quietly and was immediately asleep again.

Hermione was buried amongst the books of the Malfoy Manor library. After they had scoured every book in Grimmauld Place, Draco had suggested they move to Malfoy Manor. It seemed like a good idea, the Black and Malfoy family lines were so closely linked it was easy to imagine family heirlooms traveling from one house to another. However, after four days of searching they had discovered nothing.

Hermione was trying to ignore the growing knot in her stomach telling her that she was at the end of the line. She had read every book available to her and come up with nothing. Almost one full year of research had failed to produce the answer to Harry's dilemma.

Books had failed her for the first time in her life, and she had failed Harry.

Hermione tried to stifle the tears she felt welling in her eyes. She buried her head deeper into her book and turned her head away from Draco, sitting across the table. Malfoy was the last person she wanted to see her fail, and certainly the last person she ever wanted to see her cry.

However, a hitch in her breathing drew his attention from his own studies.

"Astrid, why don't you go visit the house-elves and check on lunch?"

Astrid looked at him quizzically and pointed to Draco's wand. "But all you have to do is…"

"Monster," Draco said firmly while motioning towards the door. Astrid looked between the two of them and Draco's meaning clarified for her, so she left the room grumbling under her breath.

"Take a break, Granger," he instructed after Astrid had gone.

"I just want to get through these last few books," she sniffled.

"Later," he insisted wresting the book away from her. "We both need a break."

Hermione glared challengingly at him. "What are we going to do, Malfoy? Talk? You haven't said a dozen words to me all summer if they didn't pertain directly to our research. Why start now?"

Draco chose his words carefully before proceeding.

"Because the other night over dinner Astrid asked me something, why do we hate each other so much. She thinks it's because you're not a pure blood. She doesn't understand how I can look past her questionable bloodlines, while holding yours against you. And the only reason I could give her was 'habit'."

Hermione chuckled at his surprising candor. "I suppose if you and Ron can form a truce, then there's no reason why we shouldn't."

Draco raised an eyebrow quizzically. "I don't know what you're talking about; the Weasel and I have no truce."

Hermione laughed. "Yes, he denies it too. But he also knows more about our research than I've ever had the chance to tell him. So, I have a theory, and correct me if I'm wrong, but my theory is that the two of you are having some sort clandestine chess matches when you think no one is looking. I highly doubt he's getting his information from Astrid and you're the only other person privy to it."

"My, what a vivid imagination you have Granger. Have I shown you around the Manor? Why don't we go for a tour? I need to stretch my legs."

"I see you're not correcting me. Why do you insist on keeping it a secret?" Hermione laughed.

"The original foundation for Malfoy Manor was built over one thousand years ago…" Draco began with a smooth tone and a straight face, while leading Hermione into the main Hall of the house. "It was built in several phases using both magical and non-magical means."

Hermione smirked at him and followed his lead. She was very interested in seeing the house. It was beautiful in a cold and creepy way, but she had only seen as far as the library. "You are just playing chess, aren't you? You aren't trying to steal my boyfriend, are you?"

"The house has anywhere from eighty to one hundred and twenty rooms," Draco continued smoothly, "depending on how many we need at any given time. You have to be very careful if you don't know your way around, because much like Hogwarts, the structure changes without notice. I have to send house-elves searching for Astrid almost daily."

Draco continued guiding Hermione on a tour of the house for the next hour. It was a great relief to Hermione to think about something other than Carina de Florette for a little while and she was pleasantly surprised to find that she was having fun. Eventually they wound their way back to the main entrance where they had begun.

"Thank you Draco," Hermione said sincerely once she perceived the end of their tour. "That was fascinating. I'm impressed by your knowledge of your family history."

"It's crucial to know where one comes from. But the tour's not over yet."

"What could possibly be left?" she laughed.

Draco smirked and quirked an eyebrow. "Why the dungeons, of course." He waved his wand toward the huge hearth against the wall and immediately a panel opened in the brickwork barely large enough for someone to squeeze through.

"The dungeons?" Hermione gulped.

"You can't say you've properly toured Malfoy Manor unless you've seen the dungeons," Draco smirked dryly. "You're not afraid, are you Granger?"

"Afraid? Certainly not!" she huffed.

"After you then," he gestured down the dark crevice in the wall.

Hermione huffed, through her shoulders back and brushed by Draco as she led the way down the stairs.

Draco followed her closely. "Take a torch from the wall," he suggested, "and mind the steps; they can be unexpectedly steep and quite slick."

Hermione took a deep breath and began to descend into the darkness. Immediately a sense of foreboding threatened to overwhelm her. A voice deep in her head screamed that this was not where she belonged and she was in grave danger. The cold and dankness was almost overwhelming. Hermione paused on the fifteenth step and was about to turn around, as all of her instincts were telling her to run. She felt the warmth of Draco's hand grasp her shoulder guiding her from behind; it felt hot in comparison to her surroundings.

"Keep going," he said firmly, "you're almost there." Hermione stomach clenched, Draco's voice was different; it was cold and harsh.

Suddenly the unwelcome thought crossed her mind that this may be some sort of terrible trap. What if Malfoy was a Death Eater after all? Hermione continued down the hard stone steps because Draco's hand and his solid presence directly behind her allowed her to do nothing else. Hermione's fear began to get the better of her and she began to panic.

"It's not right. I shouldn't be here."

"Keep going," he said, his firm grasp leading her further down into the unknown.

"No, I have to go back," Hermione turned on the step and tried to push her way past Draco but just as she turned something cold and hard reached from the darkness and wrapped around her ankles, pulling her off of her feet.

Hermione's scream pierced the darkness, and a then a sharp pain across the back of her head rendered the world black.

"Granger! Granger! Wake up!"

Hermione's eyes opened slowly, the pain in her head was almost overwhelming. Eyes focused on her surroundings and she beheld her worst nightmare. But pain was stronger than fear and unconsciousness threatened to descend again.

"No! Hermione! Stay with me! Wake up! You have to wake up!"

Suddenly, Hermione was awake and her eyes focused on Draco's face only inches away from hers.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" she shrieked at him, she tried to hit him but found that her arms were both chained against the wall of a cave-like room.

"Granger…"

"YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS!" She tried to kick him away, but found her legs were manacled as well.

"Granger! Stop!" Draco held her arms against the stone and pressed his body firmly against hers to stop her from kicking out again. "Do not move! Do not fight!" he said firmly, his voice utterly calm and emotionless. "Listen to me. The more you fight, the tighter the manacles will become. They're perfectly capable of dismembering you if you don't stop fighting!"

"Ron and Harry know I'm here!" she hissed into his ear, which was less than an inch away from her mouth. "They'll kill you for this!" Hermione flailed out against the invasion of Draco's body against hers and she screamed in pain as the chains binding her ankles and wrists pulled her more tightly against the wall.

"Please!" Draco whispered, holding her even more tightly. Something in his tone broke through Hermione's panic. It didn't sound cruel, as she would expect, and slowly her eyes met his eyes and what she saw was concern. "Please, stop fighting. I'm not doing this. I didn't know this would happen."

"I suppose you didn't give me this knot on my head either," she hissed. "You hit me! You expect me to believe you're not doing this?"

"I didn't hit you. The manacles grabbed you off of the stairs when you panicked; you hit your head on the floor while they were dragging you here."

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Malfoy? If you have nothing to do with this, then release me!"

"I can't. Stop fighting! Listen! I know what you were feeling when you panicked, I felt it too. But I didn't know the dungeon would react to you like this. Stop fighting! What you felt was one thousand years of fear, and death and pain beyond description. What you felt was evil."

"No shit! Let me go, Malfoy!"

"No! I told you, I can't! For once you bloody, fucking know-it-all you're going to listen to me or you're going to rot down here!"

"Bastard!"

"Yes I am, aren't I? We've always agreed about that. Now shut up and listen. There is evil here, we've established that. But it's a residual evil left over from deeds of the past. Just like the residual magic that Ginny and Longbottom have been working on. Does this make sense so far?"

Hermione nodded and slightly relaxed in his arms.

"Good girl," he said relaxing his grip on her a bit. "Now evil feeds on fear. If you're afraid it will attack, then its power will grow. Let go of the fear and you'll be released. I think."

"Let me get this straight," Hermione began slowly. "I'm being held prisoner in the dungeon of one of the most evil families of all time. And my captor is the pustule-on-the-ass-of-a-troll git who's tormented me for years. But he's saying that he's actually not my captor, my captor is really my own fear. And somehow I'm supposed to just not be afraid and my problems would be solved?"

"You've always been a quick study Granger. A mediocre insult thrower, but a quick study."

"What am I supposed to do?" Hermione asked herself.

"Granger, look at me." Draco began smoothly. "I hate to tell you this but you have to trust me. It's your only way out."

Hermione laughed incredulously.

"I mean it. You have to look around this room and see no danger. You have to look at me and see no danger. And you have to believe it."

"Can't you just go get a hacksaw or something?"

"Sorry," Draco chuckled, "won't work on magical chains. Look at me Granger. Look at who I am, today. What do you see?"

Hermione looked into his eyes and she saw no malice there. But how could she just shrug-off years of cruelty and mistrust in an instant?

Draco was still holding her firmly against the wall and Hermione suddenly became aware of the smell of him. She remembered one year ago when Ginny discovered this boy and how the smell of him drove Ginny wild. Hermione also remembered the pain he had caused Ginny and she remembered the pain he had caused himself. He certainly wasn't a perfect boy, but Ginny believed he wasn't an evil one either. Did she believe that too? Her mind skipped through the previous year remembering both the highs and the lows that they had all lived through. When had Draco become one of them?

When Hermione's head cleared, she looked up into Draco's eyes and realized that her ankles had been released.

"There we go, you're getting there," Draco said again, a little more smugly than she was comfortable with, and he slightly released his hold on her.

"Okay, I've relaxed… why isn't it letting me go?" she asked with a bit of panic in her voice.

"I guess you haven't learned to trust me enough Granger, just keep going. Maybe if I told you a secret," he added.

"What are you talking about?"

"My dear friend Pansy and I spent a lot of time down here as children. When Pansy was particularly peeved with me she had a nickname for me. She called me Puddles."

"Puddles? Why would anyone call you Puddles?"

"Well you see, when I was young, very small, very-very small, I had a bit of a bed- wetting problem."

Hermione laughed and Draco, who was still holding her, pressed his body against her more firmly as if to illustrate that he was no longer a very small boy. She was surprised to find that she wasn't at all worried by having his body so close to hers. No boy had ever been this close to her besides Ron, and yet it didn't make her feel nervous at all. There was something unfathomable about this situation. It wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Why would you tell me that? Do you know what Ron and Harry will do with that information?"

"I know exactly what they would do with it. But they'll never know about it, will they? Because we trust each other, don't we?" Draco spoke slowly and his intense stare gave Hermione no option but to nod her acceptance.

In an instant, the shackles around her arms snapped open. "Can't stand," she managed to say before collapsing to the floor.

"Ooops, okay we'll hang here for a bit." Draco followed Hermione to the ground; she was shivering uncontrollably so he conjured a warming charm and sat behind her, with his arms wrapped around her.

"Shhh, just relax…" he soothed. "You have to calm down…we don't want something else attacking you. I probably should have foreseen this. I'm sorry. But you're the first…of your kind to come down here voluntarily. The place is only reacting as it has been bewitched to."

"Nice house, Malfoy," Hermione hissed once she was able to catch her breath. So spoke grumpily, but she still found his arms around her to be strangely soothing and she settled back against him.

"It has a few quirks, but I like it. Actually, I do like it down here."

"You are mad! How can you stand it? Can't you feel the evil?"

"I've told you I can feel it. That's the point. By coming down here and facing the evil, it's like I'm conquering it a little bit. It reminds me of where I come from."

"You said something like that earlier. Why is family history so important to you? Isn't who you are more important? And who you want to become?"

"Of course they are, but a wise wizard once said that those who do not learn from history are destined to repeat it. Are you feeling better now? Your breathing has improved."

"Just one more minute, please. Then I want to get out of here."

"Okay."

Hermione relaxed further and took time to examine her surroundings. It looked exactly as she would imagine a medieval torture chamber with chains, manacles, racks and presses lining the chamber and several other devices she couldn't even imagine a use for.

Slowly she rose from her position reclined against Draco and began to explore the room. Draco remained seated and watched her explore, grinning at her interest as she fingered the chains that had bound her minutes before.

She remembered the feeling of being bound and of having Malfoy's arms around her and the warmth of his body pressed firmly against her. A thought came unbidden to her. Did she actually **like**having somebody else being in complete control? _No, that's absurd. **I **like being in charge. What would this be like to have Ron doing this, and me not able to do anything except allow him to do what he wanted?_

"How's that warming spell working?" Draco asked, looking up and down her body.

"It's fine," she said absentmindedly. She noticed he was examining her and she looked down to see that in spite of the fact that she felt warm, her body was betraying her emotions. Her thin blouse gave ample evidence that she was thinking of other things.

"If I didn't know better Granger, I'd think you were getting a bit turned on by those chains. Are you imagining you and the Weasel playing a game of Death Eater and Mudblood down here?"

Hermione felt the flush cover her face. _How did he know?_ She quickly pulled her sweater closed around her and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Don't be disgusting, Malfoy." She turned her back on him and began to examine some of the other structures.

"Who'd imagine little Miss Granger has a kinky side," Draco chuckled.

"Bugger off, Puddles! What's this?" she said, indicating a coffin like structure in the corner and still hiding her face from him.

"That's an interrogation box," Draco answered. "You lock the victim inside it and drive those stakes thru it until you get the information you desire."

"Nice."

Draco shrugged. "Parkinson locked me in there once when we were eight, because I wouldn't tell her what was in her Christmas present. She nearly killed me," Draco laughed, "probably would have if our mothers hadn't found us."

Hermione turned to him and smiled.

"You miss her, don't you?" she asked gently.

"Of course… more than… I miss her a lot."

"I think I'm ready to go now if you don't mind."

"Let's go, Kinky." Draco stood and motioned toward the exit.

"Don't call me that! What's in that room over there?" Hermione gestured across the chamber as she exited.

"What room?"

"Behind that door over there," she pointed.

"There's no door over there, Kinks. I think you've been a bit more traumatized than we thought."

"Don't call me that! Over there! I'm looking at it."

"And I'm looking at a solid rock wall."

"You can't see that?" she asked, walking towards it. Before Draco realized, Hermione had crossed the room and opened the door.

Draco was at her side in a shot. "Bloody hell! There's a door here! It must be charmed to be invisible! Why could you see it?"

Hermione shrugged. "Must be an advantage of being Muggleborn. It just looks like some sort of storage cupboard."

Draco entered the cupboard. "Yes, but come in here and see what's being stored here."

Hermione wasn't exactly keen to continue explore further, but as soon as she examined the contents of the cupboard she gasped. "Books! Lots and lots of books!"

"Probably the ones too valuable to be left in the main library. Do you know what this means, Kinky?"

Hermione nodded and grinned widely at Draco. "It means it's time to get back to work."

When the day of Ginny's birthday party finally arrived, it seemed as though they would all have something to truly celebrate.

Everyone was feeling optimistic about their progressing plan to defeat Voldemort. Ginny was aware that her party would devolve into a tactical meeting with everyone reporting what they had discovered, but Ginny didn't mind.

Draco had found that traveling with a child in tow brought a new set of challenges. Astrid was annoyingly girly when it came to certain things. Broom riding was out of the question as it made her queasy; flooing was unthinkable as it could smudge her dress or muss her hair; and she adamantly refused to Apparate with Draco any longer following an unfortunate incident where he accidentally splinched off her nose. She was not amused.

Draco was forced to find other means of transportation, and he took this opportunity to indulge one of his most secret fantasies. Ever since his second year at Hogwarts when he'd heard, but not quite believed, rumors of Potter and Weasley's misadventures with a flying automobile, Draco had harbored a secret desire to possess a flying car of his own. Of course in his former life as a Muggle-hating purist he knew he could never indulge this dream, but times had changed and so had Draco. He set about in a search for the perfect flying car to reflect his status as a teenaged boy with limitless funds and superior taste. Of course a Ford Anglia was unacceptable…far too pedestrian. And of course the car must be painted the perfect shade of Slytherin green.

His search had spanned most of the summer and had finally ended during a recent business trip to Milan. Italian wizards were far more open-minded about the adaptation of Muggle artifacts to wizarding needs. However, Draco's purchase of the car had precipitated the first major disagreement between himself and Mr. Quigley, who thought it far too extravagant, bordering on scandalous. But even Mr. Quigley's eyes glazed over a bit when the 1937 Bugatti Type 57SC Gangloff Drophead Coupe was delivered to the pensione.

Draco circled over the Burrow twice before landing the car smoothly in an out of the way spot. It was a dream to fly and Draco was in heaven, dying to show-off his new toy.

Where were Weasleys when you needed them? No one was in sight.

"Come on, Monster. We've arrived."

Draco and Astrid were walking towards the house, when suddenly Astrid stopped in her tracks, her eyes widened, a very small squeal came from her throat and her grip on Draco's hand threatened to break bones.

"Bloody hell, Monster! You're crushing my hand!" Draco looked down and noticed that Astrid was attempting to hide behind him. "What's wrong with you?"

"That's them! THAT'S THEM!" she squealed quietly while still trying to take cover behind her brother, while peeking around him at her prey.

Draco turned to see what Astrid was staring at and laughed when he put two and two together. In the far corner of the garden, next to Arthur Weasley's garden shed were Fred and George, hard at work on some new contraption.

"Ah," chuckled Draco, "your heroes are here. Come on, I'll introduce you."

"NO!" gasped Astrid. "I couldn't!"

"Monster, this is their family home and we're here for the whole day. You'll have to meet them eventually."

"Oh, I can't! They're brilliant! Absolute geniuses!"

"Let's not go overboard," smirked Draco, "this is Fred and George Weasley you're talking about. Come on, have some backbone," he said while tugging Astrid along behind him.

"Fred! George!" he called, keeping a firm hold on Astrid's arm.

"Look Gred, it's Malfoy!"

"Excellent Forge! And I thought little Ginny's party would be dull. At least now we can count on some bloodshed!"

"Yes, yes, very funny." Draco drawled. "I'm sure we'll get to that in good time, but first I'd like to introduce you to your biggest fan."

The twins surveyed the pretty little blond girl with mild interest.

"Really?" they said in unison.

"This is Astrid Simons," Draco continued, "she's my… my ward."

"Your ward?" George said, in obvious amusement.

"He's adopting pretty little girls now, Forge," Fred chuckled in disbelief.

"I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere Gred, it's just not coming to me."

"Astrid," Draco interrupted, nudging Astrid forward, "this is Fred and George Weasley. I admit I have no idea which one is which."

Astrid glared at him and was momentarily released from her shyness. "That's Fred and that's George," she said pointing left and then right.

"Whoa! That's impressive, our own mother can't do that," said Fred.

"Pleased to meet you, Astrid," said George.

Astrid tried to return the greeting but only managed to dissolve into a fit of giggles and hid her face in Draco's shirt.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Have some Slytherin pride girl! Get a grip!"

"Well, Astrid?" Fred began. "Which of our products do you like best?"

"Yes," George continued, "I'd bet you like our flying butterfly hair ribbons and our Kiss-Me-and-You're-Mine lip gloss."

"No!" said a suddenly incensed Astrid. "I don't kiss boys! I torture them! Although I do like your hair ribbons very much, I have several sets. I don't know which of your products I like best… there are so many I love." Astrid forgot about her embarrassment and began to talk faster and faster. "I get a lot of use from your Bawdy Boil Cream, but I wish the boils would ooze more, you know? And they're really not painful enough, are they? Of course your Diarrhea Dollops are very useful, but again, they wear off after only two hours; you really should make a stronger version, twelve hours at least."

Fred and George's grins were growing by the second.

"Real sweetie, isn't she?" Draco drawled.

"Forge, I may have to marry this girl if I ever grow up."

"But you know what I really need?" Astrid continued oblivious to the comments around her.

"Why don't you step into our workshop and tell us all about it?" George said courteously, wrapping his arm around the chattering Astrid and leading her into the workshop.

Draco considered stopping her from being alone with the twins… Merlin only knew what they would turn her into. But then he saw the idolatry sparkling in her eyes and he relented. Besides, Merlin only knew what she would turn him into if he tried to stop her.

Draco furrowed his brow, sighed and resigned himself to putting her back together again later.

"DRACO!" he heard from a distance, he turned to see a red haired blur charging at him at full speed. A wide grin spread over his face as he braced himself for impact.

Ginny landed on him with a crushing hug and a very friendly kiss, which Draco gladly allowed to last a beat or two longer than necessary.

"Oh! It's so good to see you!" Ginny squealed once she had released him. "It's been ages! I've missed you so much! Hermione said the two of you had made a big break through in your Carina de Florette research? That's wonderful! Is that your car in front of the Burrow? I saw you fly in from my Bower! Since when do you like Muggle contraptions? Daddy will fall in love with that when he sees it. Will you take me for a ride later? Where's Astrid? I thought you'd bring her with you."

"STOP! BREATHE! You'll pass out in a minute!" Draco laughed. "It's good to see you too. Astrid's here too. She's gone off with the twins."

"What? You can't leave her alone with them! Do you have any idea what they do to willing test subjects?" Ginny started for the shed, but Draco stopped her.

"Gin, she'll be fine. She'll have a blast, trust me. Don't worry, we can fix her later."

Ginny looked at Draco warily, "If you're sure… I suppose those three were destined to meet eventually."

"What were your other questions? It's all a blur," Draco asked. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"Harry's in the Bower, he'll be along for Quidditch later. He thought we might like some time to chat."

"That's big of him," Draco quipped dryly.

"Yes, it is. Now come take me for a fly in that fancy car of yours."

"Oh, if I must," Draco drawled lazily, "Your father's not going to report me to the Ministry, will he?"

Ginny laughed. "Oh, I think you're fairly safe from him. You'll have to give him a fly too, of course."

Ginny's birthday was as perfect as she could have wished. It was a quiet day with family and friends. A rousing game of Quidditch rounded out the afternoon, followed by a homey meal accompanied by lots of good natured carousing.

As the sun set on the cool evening, Ginny gazed contentedly around the room.

Fred and George had left for the evening, eager to begin work on some new Astrid inspired products.

Astrid, who had survived her afternoon with the twins, was fast asleep on a chair in the corner. Draco had forgotten how tiring it was to be twelve years old… it seemed she was always falling asleep.

Draco and Hermione had their heads together over a book discussing their latest theory as they prepared to fill everyone in on their discoveries.

Harry was resting on the sofa with his head on Ginny's lap. Ron sat on the opposite side of Ginny, inundating them both with an endless stream of complaints about the apparent comradery between Draco and Hermione.

"He's touching her shoulder. Do you see that? She's done nothing but complain all summer about how sullen he is. Does that look sullen to you? Did you just see that? Hermione smiled that sexy smile she always does and then tucked her hair behind her ear and then touched his arm! That's not good!"

"Ron, please," Ginny groaned reaching the end of her rope. She swatted Harry's head lightly to make sure he wasn't asleep; if she had to listen to this, then he did too.

But Ron could take no more. "Why don't you two come and join us over here," he called with forced cheerfulness. "It's time that we finally hear what you've discovered."

"No. We're not quite ready yet," Draco responded tersely and then returned his attention back to Hermione.

"Well no, Draco," Hermione added. "Maybe we should tell them what we've found and let them decide."

"No. You know perfectly well what they'll say, Kinky. And it's unacceptable."

"It's not your decision, Draco. It's theirs."

"Kinky?" Ron hissed into Ginny's ear. "Did Malfoy just call my girlfriend Kinky?"

"Quiet Ron," Ginny spat, "why don't you just tell us? Come on, we're dying to know."

"Come on, Draco," Hermione urged, "we're not going to find anything better than this."

Hermione pulled Draco into the sitting area with Harry, Ginny and Ron. Their entrance into the circle roused Harry from Ginny's lap and he sat up.

"I'm game," Harry entered to conversation, "let's hear what you've got." Ginny reached over and enveloped Harry's hand in hers; she knew his casual enthusiasm was false, he was dreading this conversation.

"As you know," Hermione started, "Draco and I found an ancient store of books at Malfoy Manor."

"Actually, Kinky found them; I would have never been able to see…" Draco started.

"Why are you calling her Kinky?" Ron burst.

"LATER!" said Ginny, Harry and Hermione simultaneously, while Draco smirked at Ron evilly.

"ANYWAY!" Hermione continued, "amongst the books we found a series of dairies written by Carina de Florette herself!"

"And you found what you were looking for?" Ginny queried.

"Yes and no. I found one spell which is brilliant…"

"Except it leaves them defenseless," grumbled Draco.

"Let me finish! This spell would make Harry strong enough to kill Voldemort. But it's a very specific charm. There are several obstacles to overcome."

"Obstacles?" Draco interrupted again. "Obstacles the size of the Alps!"

"Like what, Draco?" Ginny asked.

"First, the charm needs to be conjured specifically for Voldemort, we would need something off of him; hair, blood, whatever. Second, although Potter would be able to battle Voldemort, he would be defenseless against anyone else. And third, the Weaslette would have to be there in the midst of everything. The charm draws its power off of the desire they would feel to protect each other. It would actually become stronger if one of them were killed during battle."

"And that's where Malfoy's real issue lies," Hermione spat dryly.

"I don't want Ginny there either," Harry agreed quietly.

"Harry! You can't just disregard it because of me!" Ginny cried. "Hermione, are there any other options?"

"This is the best and strongest choice, we've found. Even Draco would agree with that."

"Then let's explore it a bit," Ginny continued.

"No." Harry and Draco answered simultaneously. "We'll keep looking," Draco finished.

Ginny ignored their protest. "Hermione, you need some hair or something off of him? Couldn't Professor Snape get that for us?"

"Gin, we're not doing this…" Harry started.

"I suppose he might," Hermione answered thoughtfully. "I would need at least 6 weeks to prepare it."

"And we'd need the full support of the Order of the Phoenix," Ginny continued. "If Harry and I must concentrate on Voldemort, then we'll need back-up to clear the way."

"Erm…" Ron started.

"Gin, we're not doing this," Harry repeated quietly.

"Erm…" Ron said again.

"I didn't say we were doing it, I said we were talking about it," Ginny snapped.

"Erm… I think I might be able to help," Ron finally managed to get out.

"Ron! Not you too," Harry snapped.

"Face it, Harry. You're not doing this alone. We won't let you. And I think I have an idea."

"What is it?" Harry sighed.

"I wish Fred and George were still here," Ron began "it's really their business to tell you this, but they've been developing some interesting things in their joke shop lately. I think one of them can be used here."

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"For example, we'll need to subdue and contain the Death Eaters guarding Voldemort when you and Ginny are ready to attack, right? What if the Death Eaters were rendered incapable of throwing Unforgivable Curses? That would helpful, yes?"

"Very," said Hermione, "what do they have?"

"I've been helping them develop a few things while I've been working at the shop and one of them is a sort of little grenade that contains Goofy Gas. Think about it. You can only kill or torture someone if you really want to. No one would want to kill if they're feeling really silly and giggling at everything."

Ginny and Hermione began to giggle at the thought and Ron's face fell.

"What? Is it a shite idea?" he asked sadly.

"No!" Hermione cried. "Ron it's brilliant! Think of the number of lives that will be saved!"

"Really?" he grinned and Hermione nodded.

"Alright," Harry finally conceded, "we'll consider it, Hermione and I will propose the plan before Order."

Ginny gripped Harry's hand gratefully and the groups continued to talk and plan late into the night.

It was well past midnight when the little group said goodnight.

Ginny hugged Draco goodbye and she and Harry saw them back to their car.

Draco gently carried the sleeping Astrid out to the car. He was about to deposit her into the passenger seat, when his eye caught the forms of Harry and Ginny on the horizon as they went for a stroll in the garden. He paused and watched them, or rather Ginny, from afar for a few moments.

Astrid awoke, still in Draco's arms, and she squirmed to be put down. Once on her own feet, she too focused on the figures in the distance.

"He simply oozes goodness, doesn't he?" Astrid asked, in an uncharacteristically dreamy tone.

"You say that as though it's good thing!" Draco snapped. Astrid shrugged and sighed, and then she focused on the far-off pained expression on Draco's face as the couple disappeared from sight.

"Are you still in love with her?" Astrid asked carefully, leaning against the car.

"I love Pansy," Draco said simply.

"Are you saying you don't love Ginny? And that you'll never love anyone else?"

"No."

"Which question did you answer?"

"Both of them," Draco answered honestly, there was no point in lying to Astrid.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Monster, someday you'll realize how messy and painful these things can be. You don't just say that to someone. Besides, you saw them, they belong to each other."

"I see they have a certain something that's special, but I've seen what you and Ginny had too. That was special in its own way."

"They're soul-mates Astrid, destined to be together. Haven't you heard Granger go on about it ad nauseum?"

"Hermione Granger isn't **that** smart!" she snapped sharply. "And she only admits to what's convenient for her little Carina de Florette charm."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean it'll be easier to implement that plan of hers if Harry and Ginny are in love, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll always be lovers. Just because they're soul-mates doesn't make them immune to all the problems that every other couple in the world have.

"Monster! They're SOUL-MATES!"

"Yeah… so? They're soul-mates… two souls who are destined to travel through many life-times together. Where does it say anything about bonking?"

"Monster! Language!"

"Please! You say worse in your sleep. Soul-mates can be siblings, parent-child, friends, anything. That's the point, to gain experience from a variety of relationships lifetime after lifetime."

"But they're not siblings, and they're quite good together," Draco said reluctantly.

"I know. I'm just trying to point out they have as much chance of staying together as anybody else."

"Humpf… that's something to think about. How'd you get so smart, little Monster?"

"Dunno," she shrugged. "Must be the Muggle blood."

Draco looked at her sharply, but softened immediately. "Must be." Something flickered in Draco's heart, something between hope and fear. Hope that he might one day be given a chance to prove himself to Ginny again. And fear that if the day came, he would fail again.

"Of course, assuming he survives the next couple of months, Potter will still be around. They'll still be soul-mates even if they break-up as lovers. They wouldn't be apart for long. You'd have to share her, not as a lover of course, but you'd have to accept that she has an intimate relationship with someone else. Could you do that, Draco?"

Draco stared at her blankly for a moment. "That might be a problem," he admitted. "Okay, I swear, if I ever get a chance with her again I won't screw it up. I promise."

**Authors Notes:**

YAYAYAY! So that's the end of the Hogwarts years! We'll be exploring the future in the upcoming chapters.

As always a big thank you to Jocjarmom for all her hard-work and hard-nagging!

I'd like to express my gratitude to all my Draco girls. You've been very patient and well behaved over the past few Harry chapters. You'll be well rewarded in the next chapter when we learn more about Draco and Ginny's 3 years together. (If anyone is confused by that statement, then it's time to go back and read the Prologue again. It's all in there.)

"Those who don't know history are destined to repeat it" is from Edmund Burke. Whether or not he was actually a wizard is a point open to debate.

Draco's choice of automobile is a nod to my own family history. My great grand-father owned a Bugatti dealership among his many interests. And my grandfather, who couldn't be arsed to actually work for a living, used to race the cars across the Sahara desert. (Yes, he was crazy and no, he didn't live to a ripe old age.) But then Musolinni and the Nazis came along and changed everything.

The idea of the twins inventing laughing gas grenades was pinched from "After the End" on Sugarquill. READ IT! It's wonderful. (Draco is very unreformed, but we still like him quite a bit.)


	21. Chapter Twenty: Confusion

**The Devils Triangle**

**Chapter 20: Confusion **

**November 2005**

Ginny Apparated into the kitchen of her tidy country cottage; it was such a relief to be home. She had just completed a 24-hour shift at the hospital, a shift during which she had been unable to catch any rest. She was exhausted, but still too wound-up to go to sleep.

The welcoming "WOOF!" of her Irish wolfhound lumbering behind her came a split second too late, and as she turned she found herself pinned to the panty wall with the huge dogs paw resting easily on her shoulders as her face was thoroughly licked clean.

"Hello, Faustus! How's my baby boy today?" Ginny said while squirming her way out from under him and rubbing him all over. "I'm sorry Mummy was gone so long. Did Dribbles take good care of you? Did he? Such a good muffin, you are! Come on, Mummy's very tired... let's make us some tea and then we'll cuddle over there. How's that sound?"

She wrapped herself in her favorite fluffy bathrobe, made herself a cup of soothing tea and peeked out her window to see the sun just beginning to show itself over her garden gate. Faustus was less than a step behind her at all times.

Ginny loved her home, the perfect sanctuary. It was situated within easy Apparating distance to the hospital, yet surrounded by friendly farms which gave her the privacy she craved after a long shift at work. She had a small kitchen garden in which she whiled away a good deal of her free time, growing vegetables for herself and many of her friends and family. She couldn't have picked a more perfect place to live, and yet she hadn't chosen this home for herself. Even after nearly two years of living here, occasionally the memories as to how she had arrived here would flood back to her and she'd find herself crying amongst her pumpkins.

"Ginny, are you there?" A voice came from Ginny's fire.

"Yes, Hermione. Is something wrong?" Ginny knew Hermione was an early riser ever since the twins were born three years earlier, but she couldn't imagine what would prompt her to floo so early.

"No, nothing's wrong. I'm coming right over." Hermione withdrew from the flames and within moments was standing in Ginny's neat kitchen, accepting the cup of tea which Ginny handed her.

The moment Ginny saw Hermione's face, she knew there was something amiss.

"Hermione, you look stricken. What's wrong? Is someone sick? How are the twins? It's not Ron, is it? Or Harry?"

"No, no, no. Nobody's sick," she said tepidly while quickly stepping around Faustus, trying to avoid his customary tongue-bath greeting. "The twins are fine; Ron's spending the morning with them. But he was trying to floo you last night. There's something you should know."

"Alright then," Ginny agreed and motioned for them to both move to the cosy nook before the fire. "How are you feeling Hermione? Things seem to be coming along nicely for you."

"Yes, I'm fine," she said as she eased herself and her swollen belly into a soft chair. "After what the twins put me through, this pregnancy is a joy."

"Good," Ginny said gladly and then remained quiet, waiting for Hermione to explain the reason for her visit.

"Like I mentioned, Ron was trying to floo you last night. He thought maybe you had a date."

Ginny laughed and shook her head. "My brother is ever hopeful for my love life, but no. I was at the hospital."

"Yes, I tried to explain to him that was the more likely scenario, but he's never quite been able to grasp the crazy schedule of a Healer, particularly since your promotion."

"Why was he trying to contact me then?"

Hermione cleared her throat uncomfortably and squirmed a bit.

"Out with it, Hermione."

"Well… Ron stumbled across Harry yesterday."

"What did Harry tell him?" she asked tensely, hoping that Harry would have the good sense to keep his mouth shut about certain things. Ginny certainly didn't need a lecture from her brother about subjects she'd already been lectured on, dozens of times.

"Nothing, I think," Hermione said, suddenly wondering about Ginny's change in manner. But Ginny and Harry always had secrets they didn't share with the world. "It's just Ron ran across Harry at The Leaky Cauldron, he was pissed as a newt."

"Harry? Harry doesn't drink much!"

"He was with Draco," Hermione explained.

"Oh," she said, gripping her tea cup with both hands.

"Ron thought you should be warned about it, in case you get dragged into whatever they're up to."

"Oh. Yes. Thank you." Ginny said numbly.

"Ginny, are you alright? You've gone quite pale."

"I'm fine, Hermione," she said stiffly.

"Ginny, you don't look fine."

Ginny stared into the fire, with the familiar stony expression which always engulfed her when the topic of her complicated love life was broached.

"I'd like to help," Hermione tried again.

Ginny shook her head slightly and continued to stare into the fire without speaking.

"Ginny, I owe you an apology. Probably many apologies."

Ginny shrugged.

"I miss the day when we could talk to each other openly. I know you don't trust me; I've taken Ron's side too many times. And I know he's been hard on you. But he loves you so much, he just wants you happy."

"Ron wants me with Harry," Ginny grumbled.

"That's not true! Not entirely. When you were with Draco, Ron tried! He saw how happy you were and he tried to be happy for you. But then it ended so suddenly and you withdrew from us, and to this day we don't know what happened! We don't know what happened with either Draco or Harry, for that matter."

"I told you a dozen times why I couldn't be with Harry!" she snapped. "You just refused to try to understand! Maybe that's why I don't bother anymore!"

"Alright," Hermione agreed slowly. "You're right, I'm sorry. Anytime you tried to tell us about what went wrong there, we were too busy trying to get the two of you back together to really listen."

"Humph," Ginny grunted into the fire.

"Ginny, I'd like to help. I promise I'll listen with an open-mind to anything you want to tell me. You've been keeping things bottled up for so long, and you should get them out. Ever since you broke up with Draco, you've kept everyone at an arms distance. It's like you don't want us in your life anymore."

Ginny shrugged again, but said nothing.

Hermione got herself a second cup of tea and settled back into her comfortable chair. She could wait all day if necessary.

It took a long time, but finally Ginny started to talk.

"I was spoiled," she began slowly droning. "I was only fifteen when I started having these huge feelings. And not just for one boy, but for two. I was too young. I took those feelings for granted; I had no idea how rare they are. How was I to know that was all I'd be given?"

"All you'd be given? You're only twenty-four years old! Do you honestly think you'll never love again?"

Ginny nodded solemnly. "That part of me is dead, or sleeping, or just really tired, I don't know."

"But you've dated other men. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying it's easier to go on a date or two with a man that someone is determined to set me up with, than it is to explain I'm not interested. After a couple of dates they go away, a few more determined ones may stick around a bit longer.

I used to try to tell myself they were intimidated by Harry and what we achieved together. But that's not true, I know that now. They leave because I'm empty, because I have nothing to give them."

The straight forward confidence behind Ginny's words broke Hermione's heart.

"Ginny! No! How did you get like this? You used to have so much love in you! I can't believe it's gone."

"I have my career, Hermione," she said a bit too brightly. "That's going wonderfully!"

"Ginny, being promoted to St. Mungo's Director of Research against Dark Magic is not a substitute for a love life! You deserve more than that!"

Ginny shrugged again. "I'm happy," she insisted.

Hermione stared piercingly at her. "I've seen you happy Ginny, and this isn't it."

"Are you here to make me feel better or worse, Hermione?" Ginny snapped.

"Sorry. I'm just trying to understand. Do you know why Harry and Draco would be getting pissed together all of a sudden?"

Ginny nodded solemnly. "I have a good idea."

"Why?"

"Harry's up to something…but he doesn't have enough information to know what he's doing."

"No one has enough information, Gin. You don't talk anymore!"

Ginny stared stonily at Hermione for a moment. The truth was, Ginny agreed with Hermione. She'd kept her heartbreak to herself for too long and it was eating at her from the inside out. And now it seemed as if the muck was going to be stirred-up once again, whether she was ready or not.

She had to prepare herself for what was coming and so she started to talk for the first time in a long time.

"Well, you already know how everything started between the three of us. I guess things got confusing for you when I left Harry."

"You just disappeared."

"I didn't disappear," Ginny chuckled. "I just turned to the one person who I knew would be on my side."

"Draco."

"Yes, Draco. I was such a mess when I left Harry, I didn't even trust myself to Apparate to Draco's flat. By the time I arrived there I could barely stand………….."

**January 2001**

"Ginny!" Draco greeted her happily when he opened his door and then his smile slowly faded as he took in the sight of her puffy red face and the pile of luggage floating beside her.

"Moving in?" he asked, while silently calculating the quickest and least painful way to extract from her what was wrong, without upsetting her further.

But it was too late, as a seizure of tears gripped her and she crumbled into his arms.

"Shhh… I've got you," he whispered, as he pulled both Ginny and her luggage fully into the flat, using his wand to direct the bags out of sight and led her to the sofa.

A long time later Ginny lifted her head from Draco's shoulder as he held her soothingly.

"I've left him," she sputtered with a small wave of fresh tears.

"I gathered that much. You had a fight?"

"No."

"I don't understand."

"I can't… I can't…" she tried, but failed to finish.

"You can't what, Gin?" he asked gently.

"I can't be what he needs me to be," she finally managed.

"I still don't understand, Ginny. You were always everything he needed."

Again, Ginny was silent for a long time while trying to formulate into words, feelings that she'd never tried to express aloud. It was painful and nearly impossible for her to face feelings of which she was almost ashamed.

"It's that… it's that I lost myself in Harry, I think. It was so easy to do; his problems were so big and I was able to help just by loving him, and he's so easy to love."

Draco bit his tongue hard and Ginny continued.

"I just can't live the kind of life he leads."

"Ah… his pathetic need to always be the hero is finally wearing on you. Welcome to the club."

"No time to joke," she sniffled.

"I wasn't joking, but never mind, let's move on. I often wondered why you two never got married."

"He's asked."

For a moment, Draco was silent. His heart twisted at the news that Potter had asked her to marry him. On the other hand, his heart soared with triumph in the fact that Ginny had left him and was safely enveloped in his arms.

"So, how did you get to this point? This can't have happened overnight."

"No, it's been a long time coming, years really. Once Voldemort was vanquished, I hoped we could put it behind us and live a normal life, but Harry doesn't know what that is.

"Everyone else backed away from constantly running towards evil. Hermione went to the Academy of Advanced Alchemistic Research. Ron's teaching flying at Hogwarts and hopes to get involved in professional Quidditch, and it's turned into a career he loves. And I got my apprenticeship at the hospital. But Harry… Harry…"

"Kept looking for another dragon to slay," Draco provided.

"It's selfish of me to complain, isn't it? No, don't answer that. I know it's selfish."

"It's your life too, Ginny. You have the right to set some of the boundaries."

"I've had enough danger and excitement to last a lifetime! Now I just want a quiet life. I want a family and a husband who's there and safe. Is that asking too much?"

"No, it's not too much to ask. Ginny, why did you come here? Why didn't you go to your parents, or one of your brothers?"

"Everyone I know will tell me I'm mad, especially my family. They'll say we're meant to be together and I should go back to him and work it out. You're the only one who won't say that."

"No, it doesn't sound like something I'd say, does it?" he sighed, trying to hide a smirk threatening to appear on his face.

"Can I stay here, Draco? Just until I get settled somewhere."

"Of course, if you're sure that's what you want. You can take Astrid's room for tonight, and there's a vacant flat across the hall. We'll move you in there tomorrow."

"I can't afford this building Draco! I'm not even a full healer yet."

"Of course you can, I own it. The rent will be whatever you can afford. Call it a philanthropic contribution to the magical healing profession. Quigley's always after me to give back to the community, and contribute to making the world a better place. Blah. Blah. Blah."

Ginny chuckled. "I don't think this is exactly what he meant, but thank you. How is Mr. Quigley?"

"Just fine, brilliant as ever. He always manages to tell me what to do and make me think it's my idea." Draco shrugged and smirked. "It's late. You look really tired, Gin. Let me show you where you're sleeping, and we can talk more in the morning."

Draco led her to a small bedroom and Ginny settled in for the night. Draco was sure he'd find Potter on his doorstep the next morning. Ginny was correct in her assumption that Draco would never tell her to go back to Potter. However, although he wouldn't say it aloud, he didn't doubt reconciliation was inevitable.

The next morning Ginny arose to the smell of coffee. She had cried herself to sleep and awoke still a bit puffy and achy, but still feeling better than the previous evening. She stretched and dressed and made her way to the small kitchen of Draco's flat.

She was surprised to see Draco pulling a rack of toast from the hearth.

"You cook?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"On a good day I can manage toast and coffee, thank you. I have Dribbles, my house-elf, working on another project this morning. Sit. Eat. Jam or butter?"

"Both please," she said as she sat in the comfortable little nook in the kitchen. "Astrid's room doesn't seem very lived-in, Draco."

"No, she's not here much anymore. When she's not at Hogwarts she's visiting some friend or worse, some boyfriend," Draco grumbled.

Ginny grinned. "Astrid's discovered boys? Besides you, I mean."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me. That's not even the most horrifying part!"

"What?" Ginny asked curiously as she wolfed down her toast and coffee. It seemed like ages since her last meal.

"She's developing the most scandalous weakness for Gryffindor boys!"

Ginny smiled wanly and a far away looked shadowed her face. "Gryffindor boys are… very nice."

"Nice… yes." Draco spat, as if it pained him to say the word. "Apparently they're the only ones brave enough to date her. She's gotten bloody gorgeous, but she's as prickly as ever! A boy is more likely to be hexed than kissed by that one. I keep telling myself that's the upside."

Ginny grinned to herself. "How old is she now? Fifteen?"

"Yes," Draco grumbled.

"That's the same age I was when things started happening with me, remember?"

"Oh, blast," Draco groaned.

Draco smiled to see Ginny laugh. The laughter didn't travel all the way to her eyes, but even so, it was nice to see.

Surprisingly, Potter was not waiting at his door in the morning, nor was there a Weasley in sight.

"Gin, does anyone know you're here?"

Ginny shook her head guiltily.

"You need to tell someone you're safe. They'll be frantic."

Ginny huffed. "I'll owl and tell them I'm safe. But I'm not going to mention where I am. I don't want to drag you into this. They'll be able to track me down at St Mungo's on Monday."

"Whatever you want. I'm not averse to dodging a few misaimed Weasley hexes; it would seem like old times," Draco shrugged. "In the meantime, come with me. I'll show you what Dribbles is up to."

Draco led to the flat across the hall and Ginny was surprised to see it was already comfortably furnished and looked ready to live in. In fact it looked surprisingly like Draco's flat.

"I'm afraid Dribbles doesn't have much of a sense of style," he cringed a bit, looking around at the mismatched furnishings. "Now you know who put my flat together. I'm afraid I haven't had the time or motivation to do anything to it myself. I'm not home much, always at silly business commitments in the evening and at the Manor at the weekend."

"Draco! I couldn't possibly accept this!" she said, stunned at his generosity.

"Why not? This is just dribs and drabs from the Manor. Just borrow it. Use it as long as you need it and send it back. Might as well get some use out of it."

"Draco! And the flat! Honestly! I can't accept a flat from you!"

"Why not?"

"It's just… not done! It would look…"

"Weaslette!" he interrupted. "You need a flat… I have an empty flat. Use it."

"I couldn't…" she continued to protest.

"Of course you can… Look, the truth is I keep this flat empty. I don't allow the building manager show it to anyone, because this isn't a restricted building."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, this flat could very easily be let to Muggles! I can't have that!"

"DRACO!"

"Imagine the horror of dirty Muggles living right across the hall!"

"DRACO! I'm ashamed of you!"

"See! I need you here! I'm in danger of reverting back to my old Death Eater ways!"

"DRACO!" Ginny laughed. "You're not a Death Eater! You're a hopeless snob!"

"Then reform me!" he pled, finally letting a devastating smirk befall his face.

"You're awful! You think I'm that easily manipulated?" Ginny pushed past him to get a better look at the flat. She had to admit, it looked wonderful, certainly more comfortable than anything she could scrabble together on her own.

"It'd be fun being neighbors," Draco, continued to nudge her over the edge.

Ginny grinned at him.

"Good," he said. "I'll send your bags over and leave you to get settled." Draco backed out of the room, with a satisfied smirk plastered to his face.

**November 2005**

"That's it? You moved in that quickly?" Hermione asked, as Ginny paused to refill her teacup.

"It's not like I had a lot of choices," shrugged Ginny.

"Why were you so sure you wouldn't reconcile with Harry."

"I didn't leave Harry on a whim, Hermione. I was fairly certain of my decision. And Harry didn't exactly come running after me, did he?"

"Harry was devastated, Ginny. You should have seen him!"

"And what did he do? He buried himself in his work, didn't he?"

Hermione nodded. "He went on a mission. He was gone for three weeks."

"I rest my case."

"But when he came back, he was determined to do anything to get you back… it's just…"

"He didn't try to contact me… I didn't see Harry 'til months later!"

"No… he didn't try after all… that article came out shortly after he returned from the mission. That Rita Skeeter article about you and Draco."

"And of course you all believed every word, because she's only ever written truth about all of you!" Ginny snapped viciously.

"It's not like you were contradicting it, Ginny. You let us believe it was true."

"Every time I talked to any of you it was always the same story! 'Poor Harry! Ginny's mad!' The message never changed, and you never listened!"

"I've already apologized for that," Hermione said quietly.

"Hermione, nothing had happened between Draco and me when that article was published. In fact, it was months before anything happened with Draco."

"Really?" Hermione seemed genuinely surprised. "How did that happen?"

Ginny smiled. "It crept up on us… on me anyway. It was Neville who kind of forced the issue.

"Neville?"

"Yeah… Neville…"

**May 2001**

Ginny and Neville were having a peaceful lunch in the hospital's commissary. Ginny had tucked into a warm bowl of lentil soup, while Neville was working on his second chicken sandwich.

"Oh look," Neville announced from behind The Daily Prophet he was reading. "Draco Malfoy has fathered another heir!"

Ginny didn't even look up from the healer journal she was reading. "Oh really? Who with this time? I hope not me again."

"No, not you. It's a Helga von Strguer-what-not… I can't say it. They're expecting a love-child this autumn," he said with his mouth full of chicken.

"Busy boy that Draco," Ginny said flatly. "He must have fathered at least two dozen heirs by twenty different women by now."

"Don't these stories bother him?"

Ginny shrugged. "I have no idea. He never mentions them. Anyway, it's not as if Draco's ever been one to pay attention to anyone's opinion of him."

"So there's no truth to it at all?"

"Of course not! Neville, three months ago Rita Skeeter reported that Draco and I were together! Was that true?"

Neville was suspiciously quiet for a moment. "But then how do the rumors start?"

"I don't know. All I know is that a few of months ago that Helga von Strguer-what-not was in London. She's the last of an ancient Transylvanian wizarding family and she was selling off some family heirlooms to fund the musical career of her latest boy-toy. Draco couldn't stand her! But you know how much family tradition means to him, so they went out to dinner and Draco was pleased to acquire several bargains to add to the endless Malfoy collection. He was home in bed by eleven. Alone. End of story."

Neville snickered involuntarily. "Not that you keep track of these things."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing… you just seem very well informed for a neighbor," he chuckled.

"We're friends, Neville! Of course I know about his personal life."

Neville took a deep breath and started down a very dangerous path.

"Ginny, it's been four months since you and Harry broke up. And although you were a mess for a couple of months there… well, lately everything about you is different. I'm just trying to work out the cause."

"The cause of what? What are you talking about?"

"You're happy, Ginny," he said gently. "I've never seen you happier."

Ginny scowled at him, not believing what she was hearing.

"So, there's no way I could be happy without a man in my life?" she spat. "It couldn't be that I'm getting high marks in all my courses and our research is progressing nicely?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying! I just find it difficult to believe there's nothing going on there."

"Neville, I do believe I would notice if there were a man in my bed."

"I'm not necessarily talking about sex, Ginny."

"Neville, stop dancing around the subject and tell me what you're thinking because I haven't a clue."

"Okay, look at it from the prospective of a casual observer. Six months ago Malfoy was in the society columns daily with pictures of him always with a different witch. And now, nothing. He's rarely seen in public because he's off playing house with you, thus forcing the gossip columns to make up stories like the one today."

"We're not playing house! We're neighbors!"

"The bloke has taken himself off the market, Gin," Neville said gently. "Think about it. How much time do you spend together?"

"Not much!" she insisted. "Just dinner a few times a week… house-elves hate to cook for one… er, well that's what he says anyway. But we usually cook for ourselves."

"And on weekends?" Neville prodded further.

Ginny shrugged, "Sometimes we go to the country."

"And where did you go last weekend, Gin?" Neville asked, finally letting a broad grin settle over his face.

"Paris," she admitted reluctantly and glared at Neville as he dissolved into laughter.

"Paris, in the springtime… no romance there, eh?" Neville couldn't help but chuckle.

Ginny sat stunned, staring at Neville's guffaws.

"No! You've got it wrong! I'm not an idiot! I would know if he were… Neville, he never even touches me!" Ginny slapped down her journal and spoon. "I have to go!"

Ginny overturned her chair as she began to bolt.

"Ginny wait," Neville grabbed her hand to stop her. "A long, long time ago you promised me that if you ever found someone who made you happy you'd grab on and not let go. It looks like Malfoy may have grown into the part. Take a look in the mirror, Gin. That's all I'm saying."

Neville watched Ginny escape at lightning speed.

"There aren't enough O's in smooooth for you Malfoy," Neville chuckled to himself.

Hours later Ginny sat curled in front of her fire. In spite of the warm weather she couldn't shake the chill. She had escaped from the hospital early and had spent the afternoon with her mind reeling.

Was there something between her and Draco? If there was, was Draco aware of it? Had he been manipulating her? Or, had he been behaving like a friend? Did she want more than friendship?

She was being truthful when she told Neville that Draco never touched her. But as soon as the words left her lips, she realized how unusual that truth was. Ever since they had become friendly Draco would freely touch her. Even when she was with Harry, Draco would often touch her and plant her with a friendly kiss in greeting.

But since she moved into the flat across the hall, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Not so much as a hug, unless she were having a Harry-related crying jag.

What did that mean?

The answer to her question came almost as soon as she asked it.

She remembered their one night together in the Three Broomsticks, when they were dating at school. Draco drove her mad all evening because he had never once touched her.

When she asked about it, he said when you're denied something you want, you want it more and when you finally obtain what you desire it's that much sweeter because of the longing.

Was that what he was doing? Was he even aware of it?

The only thing Ginny knew for sure at the moment was she couldn't face Draco. And that was a problem.

He would surely be tapping on her door any moment. When they both happened to be at home in the evenings, they always ate together, at least. They often spent the entire evening together; even if all they did was catch up on their own paperwork or reading, they always did it together.

The inevitable tap came at her door. Ginny burrowed deeper under the blanket she had covering her and waited.

"Gin? You there?"

A minute later she could breathe again when she heard him move away from the door and the familiar sounds of Draco moving about his flat wafted across the hall. She knew he'd left his door open; he always did when he got home first.

Ginny could track the movement across the hall as clearly as if they were being acted out in front of her. First a minute or two of silence; Draco was changing out of his formal workday robes into something comfortable. And then a conversation trading low baritone muttering with the soprano squeaks of his house elf Dribbles; apparently Draco wasn't in a mood to prepare his own meal.

Ginny continued to listen to the activities across the hall, activities she would normally be a part of and she felt as though she were missing something. Gradually, the sounds disappeared and she tried to imagine what was happening now.

There was a knock on her door again, more insistent this time.

"Gin, I flooed your office. They said you came home sick. Are you all right?"

Ginny groaned to herself, he wouldn't go away easily this time.

Sure enough, a second later Draco muttered '_crispy troll toes', _a password which he never uttered without rolling his eyes, and the door opened for him.

"Gin? You in here?" he said stepping into the flat and pausing to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

"Yes," she said weakly and without any emotion. He navigated his way through the dimly lit flat until he was standing aside Ginny's couch without standing directly in front of her.

"You alright?"

"I'm fine. I'd like to be alone, just now."

There was something in the tone of her voice which kept Draco from asking any more questions.

"I'll be around, if you need me." Draco slowly closed the door and returned to his own flat. The second the door clicked closed, Ginny was overwhelmed with remorse. Draco hadn't done anything to be treated so coldly.

How could she face him?

How could she not face him?

Without her realizing it, he'd become a large part of her life, and avoiding him wasn't an option.

She groaned and reluctantly padded her way across the hall. Draco's door opened almost before she finished knocking.

"Hi," he said, stepping aside to let her enter.

She didn't go in.

"I wanted to apologize for just now. Neville sent me into a strop today and I have some things to think through."

"Neville?"

"Don't ask."

"Okay."

"I'll make it up to you tomorrow, alright? Dinner? I'll cook."

Draco nodded, the mask of worry lifted from his face. "Good plan."

Ginny smiled wanly.

"'Night then."

"'Night Ginny."

Ginny returned to her own flat to try to sort through her own feelings. Why was it so hard for her to think about Draco romantically? They'd been friends for so long. It had been over four years since she'd tucked those feelings away. Were they still there? Even so, what they had in the past was immature teenaged lust, wasn't it? Had new feelings grown over the past several months? Why couldn't these things ever be simple for her?

After a long and restless night Ginny didn't have many answers, but she had a plan.

The next day Ginny was giddy from the moment she awoke. She floated through her day at the hospital, raising eyebrows wherever she went. Neville was impossibly smug all day, so she avoided him as much as possible.

Suddenly, it seemed as if everything reminded her of Draco. Everything was funnier because she heard his snarky comments in her mind. Memories began flooding back… there were so many signs over the past months. How could she have missed them?

That next evening, Ginny arrived home first and was already preparing dinner in Draco's flat when he arrived.

"Oh good, I'm glad you let yourself in. Sorry I'm late."

"No problem." Ginny smiled and held his gaze for a beat or two longer than she normally would.

Draco returned her gaze, but crinkled his brow a bit. There was something about her expression that made him feel as though he'd missed a joke or something.

"You feeling better?" he asked.

"Perfect, thank you," Ginny nodded, still grinning in a very disconcerting way.

"Gimme a minute." Draco disappeared into his room to change and then quickly returned to the kitchen.

"Can I help?"

"Well, if you do it manually and not magically, you can slice that tomato."

"One little slip of the wand and a bloke is never forgiven," he grumbled as he began to slice the red plum tomato Ginny had put aside for him.

"You nearly took off my fingers that time! So stop pouting and slice."

"I would have put them back on," he continued to grumble until he finished slicing. "Okay, now what?"

"Hmm…" Ginny pondered as she sautéed chicken cutlets. You could chiffinade that fresh basil."

"Huh?"

"Cut the leaves into pretty little ribbons. First pile them up, and then roll them, and then slice them very thinly."

Ginny stood very close to him and slowly guided his hands through the task. She smirked when she noted the pink tinge blooming on the edge of his ears; otherwise he seemed completely unaffected by her touch.

"No, not like that! You'll cut yourself." Ginny gently covered each of his fingers with one of her own and bent them in the proper position, before he resumed chopping. Of course, as she did this she couldn't help but press her breast against Draco's upper arm. Draco's ears went into full bloom and overflowed onto his cheeks.

The uncomfortable hitch in Draco's breathing confirmed that his feelings ran far deeper than he revealed to her.

There was a palpable shift in mood between them and the cramped kitchen was distressingly warm, but neither of them moved.

"That's good," Ginny said breathlessly as he finished chopping.

"All this for a salad?" he gulped, as though suddenly realizing that there was more than cooking going on.

"Yes," she whispered, meeting his gaze and hoping he could see in her eyes everything for which there were no words.

"You bought the cheese I like?" he asked, stepping even closer and cradling her cheek in his hand.

"Of course," she shuddered at the feeling of is thumb etching the ridge of her jaw line. Her eyes closed and she leaned into his touch.

Draco's eyes lit up at her reaction to his touch.

"What else are we having?" he whispered lowering his head until his forehead rested against hers and he too closed is eyes.

"Chicken piccata over pasta," Ginny admitted softly, raising her head just until her nose was gently caressing his. It was mind-boggling how such a simple caress could be felt all the way to her toes.

"You're making all my favorites," he said barely audibly. "If you tell me we're having warm brownies with vanilla ice cream for dessert, my life will be complete."

Ginny could feel the breath of his words against her lips. Her lips parted as she breathed him in and prayed for contact. She didn't answer his question, she just groped around until she found the door to the nearby oven and opened it, allowing the scent of chocolate to waft in their direction.

"What have I done to deserve this bounty?" As he spoke his free hand had worked its way to her waist and was slowly exploring her curves.

"You're an easy man to please, Draco Malfoy."

"Actually, I'm not," he murmured.

"Maybe you could let me try," Ginny couldn't wait a moment longer, she stretched her head up the tiniest bit and her lips were touching his. The warmth of them sent a tingle straight to her toes.

After the briefest hesitation Draco returned her kiss just as tenderly, and before his mind could step in and take control of the situation, his body had deepened his kiss. He couldn't help but notice that every taste and sensation was both new and familiar, as if he were returning to a point in his past, full of memories which had actually never left him. But as with all things, time had altered both of them and there were new tastes and sensations to explore.

Draco had no idea how chopping herbs had turned into a kiss but he wasn't about to complain and by the time his mind had found its footing once again he realized, that he'd hoisted Ginny onto the chopping table to bring her to his level. Her legs were wrapped around him, holding him close as he kissed his way around her neck and his hands made their way to the buttons of her blouse. It was the coordination necessary to unbutton the garment which snapped Draco back to reality.

"Ginny," he said, reluctantly pulling away.

"Hmmm?" she hummed, still enveloped in the happy stupor his kisses had induced.

"I want something..."

"Okay," she said agreeably.

"I'm not sure what just happened here, but what I want is to go slowly."

"What do you mean?"

Draco disentangled himself from her legs and returned Ginny to her feet.

"I think we should eat dinner," he said with certainty.

Ginny tried, but she couldn't hide the disappointment which crossed her face, so she turned away from him to assemble their dinner.

"Okay," she mumbled into the sautéed chicken.

"Hey," Draco whispered, spinning her back towards him and planting another passionate and reassuring kiss on her hungry lips. Draco was unsure of how he should proceed, but he knew his self-control with Ginny was fragile and he didn't want to destroy weeks of careful planning and restraint on his part. Not that he'd been willfully manipulating Ginny into his arms over the past months; he'd just been making a heroic effort to lessen the pain of her heartbreak, a mission in which he had succeeded beyond his dreams, before re-igniting the old flames with Ginny.

"I just need to know you're sure this is what you want… and I'm hungry," he smirked.

"Okay," she agreed because she really couldn't blame him; she did ambush him in the middle of dinner preparation. And truth be told, she was still getting used to the idea herself.

After a few minutes of only moderately uncomfortable silence, they fell into their usual dinnertime banter. At the table they sat closer than normal, but physical contact was once again limited. Occasionally, Draco would punctuate a story he was telling her with a soft caress on her wrist. He made the contact seem completely unintentional as he concentrated on his food and the conversation, but she knew better and each touch sent shivers to her core. He definitely knew it too.

At the end of their meal Ginny took an opportunity to study Draco closely as he ate his pudding; Draco always went into a sort of transcendent state while eating chocolate.

It's odd isn't it? How one stops noticing the details of the people closest to us. In Ginny's mind, the image of Draco was still a teenager, thin and pointy, with the frame whose body hadn't quite kept up with the speed of its own growth, and a personality full of bluster and attitude. But the person before her was a man fully grown, aside from a six-year-old's appreciation for sweets of course. His face had filled in, sharp points replaced with chiseled angles, and the bluster in his attitude had been replaced with a serene confidence. But it was his eyes which fascinated Ginny the most: those eyes which were usually guarded and cautious, were at this moment… well, Ginny didn't know what she saw, but she felt as if she could stare into his eyes forever until she figured it out.

"You finished with this?" Draco asked, while scooping up the last bit of Ginny's pudding and swallowing it before she could protest.

"Brothers have had their hands impaled on my fork for less than that, you know."

"I guess you're getting slow in your old age," he chuckled, while pulling her away from the table and towards the sitting nook in the next room. The two of them usually sat on opposite ends of the sofa with a vast expanse of cushion between them, that cushion usually covered with Ginny's medical journals and Draco's parchments and portfolios. But before Ginny could move to her usual spot she found herself tugged downwards and nestled onto Draco's lap. The sudden full body contact knocked the breath out of her momentarily and she found her hand resting against Draco chest; it too was no longer the chest of a teenager. As she felt the outline of a well defined torso against her own, she couldn't prevent her mind from wondering about what lay beneath his neat button down shirt. And then there were those eyes again, those piercing silver eyes which were now inches away from hers.

"This is cosy," Draco whispered, seeming just as shaken by the sudden intimacy as Ginny.

"Yes," she agreed.

"What were you saying?" he asked trying to return a bit of normalcy to the situation, when in truth he was having trouble keeping himself in check, but needing to be close to her, if only for a moment.

"Hmm? When?" she asked in a haze.

"Just now at the table, you were saying something funny happened at work today."

"Yes! Neville made up a new game."

"Oh, this should be riveting! Do go on," he said in his snarkiest drawl.

Ginny swatted him on the shoulder and twisted around to reach her wand, tucked away in a side pocket of her cloak. Draco grimaced at both the pleasure and the pain her squirming caused.

"Shush, and watch," she scolded as she swiftly scanned the room until she spied a pile of small kindling wood next to the cold hearth.

"We use glass test vials at the hospital, of course, but this will do." She levitated the sticks into the air and formed them into a tent-like pile.

Draco grinned at Ginny's face all puckered in concentration… it was adorable.

"Now, the objective is to keep the wood levitated while removing one stick at a time. The wizard who removes the most sticks before they crumble, wins." Ginny began to slowly remove one stick at a time.

"Fascinating," he drawled. "I'm glad to see the wizarding community's funds are being put to such good use by our top researchers."

"Shush," she scolded, removing a third stick, her face even more intense than before.

Draco found her irresistible.

"I don't suppose you've incorporated the element of distraction into the game, have you?" he asked in a bored tone.

"How do you mean?" she snapped, unwilling to break her concentration. But almost before she could ask the question Draco's hand had moved from her hip to her breast and one of his fingers, ever so lightly, fluttered over her nipple.

Ginny's shriek was quickly followed by a blur of events. The kindling clattered to the ground. She twisted around on his lap in a half-hearted attempt to beat him senseless. Draco, in an attempt to both subdue the attack and prevent damage to himself from her wriggling on his lap was forced to dislodge himself from underneath her and pin her to the sofa.

Within seconds Draco found himself in a much dreamed of, and yet difficult situation.

Ginny's eyes went very round as she felt Draco's weight settle on top of her, their bellies expanded and contracted together with excited breath.

Draco was at a loss to contain himself any longer as his lips found the delicate skin of her neck and began to suckle. He was overwhelmed with a need to possess her and to mark her as his. Ginny's hands found their way under his crisp shirt and her fingernails reciprocated the ecstatic pain he was causing to her neck.

Control was spiralling away from both of them.

"If that had happened at work you'd be responsible for the wanton destruction of hospital property," Ginny moaned helplessly into his ear as his tongue soothed a well-loved spot of her neck.

"Mmmm," he groaned, his hips grinding into her, he was helpless to stop them. "I'll have to remember that little game next time the hospital directors come 'round, begging for Galleons for their precious research. It's informative to know how my money is spent."

Ginny's hips rose to meet Draco's and she sighed at the exquisite pleasure the contact produced. "I always forget that about you," she breathed.

"What's that?" he asked, his attention moving lower as he unfastened the first few buttons of Ginny's blouse and he delved beneath the cloth.

"Aaah," she sighed. "That you're Draco Malfoy, eighth richest wizard in the world."

Draco's face rose from Ginny's bosom, he was slightly disappointed not to find a bra with a front clasp, as it meant further exploration would have to wait. "Actually I think I'm fifth now," he added, migrating back to her neck and jaw. "Not that I pay mind to such silliness and minor technicalities."

"Of course not." It was now Ginny's turn to run her tongue along his sharp jaw line and suckle the tender skin below. "It would be in poor taste to notice such things."

"Quite."

The conversation ceased when his mouth plundered hers, all sense of time was lost as they continued to explore one another. It was thrilling, and yet all so familiar.

"Draco, wait," Ginny resurfaced sometime later with a breathless gasp.

Draco pulled himself away and sat up with difficulty.

"I'm sorry. We said slowly, didn't we? I'll stop."

Ginny pulled herself upright, and straightened her blouse which was now completely undone.

"No, I just think it's time for bed," Ginny said, rising and backing away slowly.

Draco nodded numbly and began refastening his own shirt while trying to catch his breath.

"Okay, well, er… good night, Ginny."

Ginny rose, but instead of escaping to her own flat she paused by the door next to the hearth.

"Draco?"

He looked up in time to see Ginny slip through his bedroom door. Draco stared for a moment trying, to calculate exactly when he'd lost control of the situation.

Through that door was the answer to his every dream. However, deep in his soul he couldn't quell the fear that he could never possess her in the way he needed and wanted to; she didn't belong to him and never would. Letting himself go down this road would surely lead to heartbreak."

In spite of the voices in his head screaming their warnings, he quickly followed her through the door.

The room was ablaze with candlelight when he entered. He momentarily wondered where the plethora of candles came from; Draco preferred other means of lighting. But his contemplation was quickly forgotten at the first sight of Ginny in the shadows, she had already discarded her skirt and she stood glowing amongst the candles, her blouse still fully open.

"What happened to going slowly?" Draco asked, his voice full of confidence which he was not feeling.

Ginny smiled wanly and stalked towards him.

"I want to go slowly," she whispered. "I want to go so slowly it takes all night."

Draco was doomed, he knew that.

He couldn't tear his eyes off of her as she shed her blouse before him and she liberated him of his shirt as well. The maturing process had been very kind to Ginny… what were once generous teenaged curves had ripened into womanhood. Her full breasts and hips, contrasting with her impossibly small waist. made her look more like a painting than flesh and blood standing before the bed, inches away.

Draco had always believed that possession of good taste always required a mastery of restraint but the vision of lush excess that was Ginny Weasley's body, which bordered on sinful, was an exception he was prepared to make.

"Do you mind?" she turned, offering him the bra clasp at her back. Draco fingered the clasp open with speed and expertise, and it fell to the floor as well, forgotten. His hand on her shoulder prevented her from turning back around as his eyes focused on her left shoulder blade.

"It's still here," he whispered, his fingers tracing the pattern in her freckles which illustrated the constellation whose name he bore. He remembered the day he discovered his namesake on her back and he chuckled at his boyish command that no one else was to kiss her there. The thought crossed his mind to ask her if she had honoured his request, but no, of course she hadn't and of course he wouldn't ask.

His lips sank to her back, kissing each freckle in the pattern and tracing them with his tongue. Events became a blur and at some point Ginny turned to face him and her luscious breasts became the new focus of his attention. Draco fell to his knees before her kissing his way down her body, ripping the bit of silk at her waist until she was fully revealed to him. He was desperate for one thing, he needed to hear her scream his name.

Ginny's knees finally collapsed from the assault of Draco's intensity and she melted helpless onto the bed, enabling Draco even deeper access to reach his goal. He wasn't disappointed and soon she was keening his name with a desperate plea for him to never stop. He'd clearly honed his technique since that night at the Three Broomsticks.

Ginny was trembling, the aftershocks of her ecstasy still wracking her body as Draco kissed his way back up her torso and kissed her softly upon his return to her lips. Her hands quickly found their way to the hardness in his trousers… her touch very nearly sending him over the edge as she moved to the button at his waist.

"Ginny," he warned, "those buttons are the only things between me and disaster; you're a rather simulating woman."

"Draco, please," she pled desperately.

Draco knew a command when he heard one and Ginny was the one person gladly obeyed. He shed himself of his remaining clothes and positioned himself above her.

Their eyes never broke contact as the long-awaited realization of the completion of their union passed between them.

Hours later the candles had all been snuffed into melted wax, and each sigh and cry had faded into a sated and peaceful sleep. Before succumbing, Ginny was reminded of the day when she'd discovered that Draco Malfoy was a breast man and a cuddler, as he nestled his face into her neck and reached up to cup her breast in an almost possessive gesture.

Draco's final thought before slumber seduced him was that he couldn't possibly get enough of this woman.

**November 2005**

"Hermione? You alright?" Ginny asked with a smirk.

Hermione's teacup was dripping down her lap as she gaped at Ginny's story.

"Whoa, that was…"

"I know."

"You reminded me of something," Hermione laughed. "Last month, I was at The Pampered Witch having a pedicure and ankle potion, trying to get the swelling down a bit, and there were two witches sitting next to me, talking about you."

"About me? Why would anyone talk about me?"

"Didn't you see? There was a new article in The Daily Prophet. After all this time, Rita Skeeter had found some lame reason to rehash a story about you and Harry and Draco. Most of it was barely true, of course, but it still got those women talking!"

"What were they saying?" Ginny asked, not sure whether she was horrified or amused. She'd never gotten used to being the subject of gossip fodder.

"Well… they were… erm… comparing… Harry and Draco… and saying how lucky you were to be the only witch in the world to have… erm… you know… both of them," Hermione squeaked. She could hardly get the words out of her mouth.

"WHAT? This is in the middle of a beauty salon in the middle of the day?" she shrieked.

"Yes! It got quite juicy too!"

"Oh Merlin!"

"Think about it, Ginny. It is intriguing, the richest and most powerful wizard in the world compared to Harry Potter who is…well, Harry Potter. It's enough to peak even my curiosity, and I've certainly never been interested in either of them in that way!"

"I'm afraid to ask, but what exactly are you curious about, Hermione?" Ginny asked with a grimace.

"You know…"

"No, afraid I don't," Ginny said, knowing exactly what she wanted, and daring her to ask.

Hermione shrugged naughtily. "You know! Who's better?"

"Hermione!" Ginny laughed. It felt so good to laugh; she didn't do it often enough anymore.

"Come on, Gin. Please? Have pity on a poor pregnant witch who's only ever been with one wizard. Not that I have any complaints about Ron…"

"Stop! No details!"

"Please, Gin?"

"Merlin!" Ginny groaned.

Hermione leaned in expectantly, the naughty twinkle in her eyes growing by the second.

"It depends what you're in the mood for I suppose," Ginny finally answered.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, they're different, very different."

"Like?" Hermione prodded.

"Draco's… very intense and very thorough. He made me feel as if I was the center of his universe, as if I was the air he breathed. He made me feel worshipped. Sometimes when he made love to me… he would completely let his guard down… he seemed so vulnerable and fragile. Of course it wasn't at all true, obviously, but that's how it felt."

Hermione watched Ginny's continence change as she spoke; it was obvious there was a deep sadness in her aching to be released.

"Ginny what happened there? It's like part of you died when it ended."

Ginny ignored Hermione's query and continued on her current train of thought.

"With Harry," she continued brightly. "I don't believe I'm telling you this… Harry's… well, he's fun! The man's a carnival ride… he'll try anything… twice… and then backwards."

"Harry?" Hermione asked, beginning to regret her question.

"Yes! There's always a lot of laughter when Harry and I make love. And he keeps getting better with age. I swear he has more imagination now than he did when he was seventeen!"

"Now?" Hermione shrieked her teacup shattering on the floor. "Now? Ginny are you and Harry together?"

Ginny groaned when she realized her slip. She uttered a quick _Reparo _charm, and tried to cover her tracks. "No, Hermione. It's not like that. Not really."

"Ginny?" Hermione growled.

"Harry and I have always found comfort in each other. And over the years we've gotten very good at being both lovers and friends." Ginny admitted reluctantly.

"Ginny, you and Harry, that's wonderful!" Hermione squealed.

"Hermione, you're not to breathe a word of this to anyone! But now that Harry's leaving his post as an active Auror and taking a position in training and recruitment, we've been revisiting our relationship, trying to decide once and for all if we have a future as a couple. Harry asked me to marry him…"

"Ginny! I'm so glad!"

"Hermione…"

"And this has something to do with why he's with Malfoy? I hope he doesn't do anything foolish."

"Hermione, wait…" Ginny quietly kicked herself for revealing too much about her relationship with Harry, she knew that all Hermione had heard was that she and Harry were together. Hermione had heard what she wanted to hear, nothing had changed. There was no point in explaining further and she was glad when the subject changed.

"Ginny, please, I feel like I'm missing a huge piece of the puzzle. Tell me what went wrong with you and Draco."

"I don't really know. Maybe we went wrong right from the beginning. We never defined our relationship. We never put a label on it. We never talked about our future together. We just grew together.

"Draco decided he wanted a larger flat, so he moved to the penthouse and he asked me to help decorate and make it homier than his previous flat. By then, we were spending every night together and although I never officially moved out of my own flat, everything I owned was in Draco's flat. I even had my pictures on his walls. We got Faustus as tiny little puppy, that first Christmas in the penthouse.

"Just a few months later Harry started coming around again; Harry and I can't not be friends. But Draco didn't seem to mind.

"Maybe I assumed too much. I assumed Draco was as happy as I was. I assumed we'd stay together.

"Time flew by, before I realized almost three years had past. And then it ended."

"Ginny, I don't think it works that way," Hermione was baffled. "You don't go from happily-ever-after one day to broken-up the next."

"We did."

"How?"

Ginny shrugged. "Draco had been acting strangely for a few days, all nervous and jumpy, very un-Draco-like. I thought it was cute. I thought he was working up the courage to ask me to marry him."

"But he didn't?"

"No, one morning he kissed me more passionately than usual and went to work. That was the last time I spoke to him. It was Friday, April 16th."

"What do you mean that's the last time you spoke to him? Then what happened?"

"Hermione, I've never told anyone this, not even Harry… especially not Harry."

As Ginny continued to speak, her voice became softer and more distant, but quite detached, as though she were talking about someone else.

"I went to the hospital. In the afternoon I got a visit from one of Malfoy Holding's solicitors. No one I'd ever seen before. He requested I accompany him, and so I did. I assumed we were going to Draco's office but instead, he brought me here, to this cottage. He told me that Draco had requested I vacate the penthouse and that this cottage was mine. He said that Draco wished to sever all ties and that I shouldn't try to contact him. My belongings had already been moved here, Faustus was here, Dribbles was here."

"Wait! I don't understand. Why would he do that?" Ginny shrugged. "No one would do that!" Hermione gasped. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"I didn't believe it at first either; I thought it was some sort of terrible joke. And then I got angry and tried to contact him, but he was out of the country. I was numb for such a long time; I couldn't even muster enough energy to burn down this house."

"That bloody coward! I'll kill him!" Hermione spat.

"And then, days later, I was too ashamed to say anything."

"Ashamed? What did you have to be ashamed of?"

"I don't know. I wasn't thinking clearly."

"I wish you'd come to us, Ginny! I can't believe you went through this alone!"

Ginny shook her head. "I couldn't take it. I couldn't withstand the ranting from all of you about how many ways Draco would die. I couldn't take the piteous stares, like you're giving me now."

"Ginny, don't you see what he did to you? It's terrible! He didn't even face you! It's unforgivable!"

"I know."

**Authors Notes:**

We're making some progress now!

Lots of answers in the next chappie!

We're going back to the drunken twits in the prologue in the next chapter! ('Bout time!)

Big thanks to Jocjarmom for the beta and cheerleading. Don't forget to check out her story 'Between Fantasy and Reality' on Checkmated.


	22. Chapter Twenty One: Through the Fog

**The Devil's Triangle**

**Chapter 21: Through the Fog**

"No way, I want nothing to do with this. I'm going home to kiss my wife and babies; I'm going to thank the Gods that I'm not one of you two sots. Then I'm going to floo my sister and warn her about this détente that's taking place, so she'll be prepared for whatever hair-brained plan you two come up with," Ron paused, looking down piteously onto his best friend and his best enemy, already hard at work on their second bottle of whiskey. "You know, back in school I used to worry about you two trampling over Ginny's heart. I was right to worry, since I've wanted to kill both of you at various times over the years. But at least it's heartwarming to see that you've both done as much damage to yourselves as you have to her," Ron Disapparated.

"Superior git," spat Draco.

"Just 'cause he's managed to live happily-ever-after, he thinks he has all the answers," grumbled Harry.

Harry removed his head out of his whiskey glass briefly and looked around the room for the first time. He squinted through the darkness to the wall at his left, there was a picture hanging there that made him pause. Two figures were waving enthusiastically at him from within the frame. He shook his head to clear it and took another swig from his glass and then refocused on the picture. There was no denying it this time, Harry was looking at a picture of himself and Ron arm-in-arm, hung on a prominent wall of Malfoy's flat.

"Bloody hell," he grumbled. And then he further surveyed the room.

"For Merlin's sake, Malfoy! You haven't changed a thing in here since Ginny left! There are pictures on the walls here that are currently hanging in her cottage. What did you do? Transfigure copies of everything before she moved out?"

"Sod off," Draco grumbled. He was unable to properly respond to Harry's attack, as he was currently trying to keep from spiraling out of the room as it was spinning so quickly. He sat up and wrested his head firmly between his two hands which were braced against his knees. That was better. He could open his eyes now.

"Seriously, Malfoy! You have a picture of Ron and me hanging on your wall! That's bloody twisted!"

Draco's gaze move to the picture in question and a soft smile befell his face, suddenly he forgot about his gravitational issues.

"Oh that. It is a horrifying sight isn't it?"

"Why is it on your wall?"

Draco shrugged. "When I look at it I don't see you two gits waving at me; I remember the row Ginny and I had when she hung it on the wall."

"Why is that a good thing?"

"Let's just say she made it worth my while to live with the picture," he said with a satisfied smirk.

Harry chuckled. "Used sex as tool, did she? She does that."

"Exceptionally well," Draco sighed, leaning back comfortably and allowing himself to escape into his memories for a moment.

"I remember a time…" Harry began, "well, no, you probably don't want to hear it."

"No, go on," Draco said surprising even himself, he was so desperate to hear news of her even questionable stories from Potter were welcome at this point.

How had he sunk so low? In every other aspect of his life he had succeeded brilliantly. He never questioned his place amongst the leaders of Wizarding society because that was where he belonged there was no doubt about that.

When it came to Ginny however, doubt was commonplace in Draco's mind. He loved a woman whom he could never possess entirely. She belonged with Potter, he knew that. And yet now, as Draco sat half-listening to Harry's stories he had to ask himself: if she belonged with Potter, then why was Potter sitting across from him now? Seeming to be just as drunk and miserable as him?

Draco watched Harry, barely clinging to consciousness, even as he continued to talk. He was lounging sideways in his chair with his drink in one hand and his head in the other. This sight wasn't entirely unfamiliar; Harry had spent many evenings here when Ginny was in residence.

"Why are you here, Potter?" he asked quietly.

"Ron made us come here," Harry grumbled, while continuing to fall asleep.

"No. Why did you drag me out of my office and make me skip down memory lane with you tonight?"

"I wanted to tell you to bugger off, move on, and leave us alone…" Harry's hand relaxed and his drink spilled down his shirt and onto his lap. Harry didn't notice; he was in a semi-conscious stupor.

"Us?" Draco asked, suddenly quite lucid and invigorated by Harry's forthcoming information.

"Ginny 'n me…" he slurred.

"You said you were barely friends anymore," he continued to prod.

"Lied… marry…"

"What's that?" Draco asked urgently, the tone in his voice reviving Harry slightly.

"Asked her to marry me." Harry's head slumped back onto the chair as he finally slipped from consciousness.

Draco couldn't say he was surprised by the news. He'd been expecting to hear of Ginny's marriage to Harry from the day he'd left her life. But the reality of what he was hearing hit him harder than he'd ever expected.

It was over now. Truly over.

Draco had been fighting a continual battle in his brain over the past two years: part of his brain screamed at him to go to her, apologize for his foolishness, beg her to come home and then take whatever heartbreak that decision would inevitably bring. But the other side of his brain warned him that the magnitude of the heartbreak would be beyond what he was prepared to endure.

But now the end was in sight. Ginny's marriage to Potter would quell both voices forever. Of course a third voice of recrimination would take over places and begin its daily barrage on his mind.

As Draco drifted into his own unconscious state, a new set of questions emerged. Would Potter have come on this half-baked mission if Draco were no threat? If Ginny were given a chance to choose between himself and Potter, once and for all, who would she choose? Could he live with the result of that decision?

What if she did choose him? What if a life with Ginny were still a possibility? What if they really could have forever? Could she forgive him his idiocy?

If only he had a sign. Even just the tiniest sign that he still had a place in her heart would do. At that moment, for the first time Draco knew he was willing to risk everything for a last chance.

"Potter?" he spat, throwing his glass at the centre of Harry's chest and dibbling even more liquid down his front.

"What?" Harry snapped, semi-conscious again and cringing from the excessive volume of Draco's voice.

"Ginny. Have you ever… have you ever kissed her left shoulder blade?" he said, finally asking a question that had nagged him for years.

Harry snorted at the silly question, but he didn't open his eyes. He grinned contentedly. "I've kissed her everywhere." And then he drifted out again.

Draco's heart sank. It was truly over.

Harry snorted awake again. "Wait… shoulder… her ticklish spot… she doesn't… like… touching… there."

Draco heart soared. This was it. The sign. He knew what he had to do…. later….. sleep first.

The first ray of morning sun pounded Draco like a railroad spike between the eyes. His first sight upon waking up was Harry still lounging in the same position in which he had passed out. But Harry was awake and staring at him.

"You still here?" Draco's voice crackled, one eye barely open.

"I haven't tried moving yet. I think it'll hurt," Harry croaked.

"Look at yourself! You've spilled half a bottle of fire whiskey down your front and you smell like a still." Draco knew he wasn't in much better shape, but that wasn't the point. "Shower's that way! Go bathe!"

Actually that sounded like a wonderful idea to Harry, if only he could move without his head exploding. The decision was made for him when the sun shifted in the window, hitting his eyes, and motivating him towards the shower.

Draco reveled in the sudden peace in the room, now absent of Potter's horrific snoring, and he quietly drifted back to sleep. But his peace was not to last, as a subtle shift in the energy of the room and the hair on his neck standing erect alerted Draco to that danger was near. But this still wasn't enough to force Draco's eyes open.

"I know you're here, and if you try anything you're dead," he drawled smoothly.

"I'm hurt, dear brother… why would you assume I was here to do harm?" Astrid plopped herself on the opposite end of the sofa which Draco inhabited, thus causing a painful ripple in his peaceful world.

"Sneaking in with your wand drawn was my first clue," he peaked at her though one eye. "Remind me to fire Quigley on Monday."

"You won't fire Quiggles, you'd be lost without him and he knows it. He only has your best interest at heart. Besides he's dying to know what happened as much as I am. I'm on strict orders to report back to him. So?"

"So what?"

"So what went on last night?"

"Not now, Monster," Draco groaned. "I'm wrecked."

Astrid crawled up the sofa towards Draco and drew her wand. Draco cringed away from her.

"No Astrid, please! I'm in enough pain already, I promise."

"What do you think I am? Stop squirming!" Astrid snapped, while swishing and flicking her wand over Draco's forehead. Instant relief flooded his senses.

"Ohhhhhhhh, Merlin, that's better," Draco sighed, relaxing as the throbbing in is head subsided. "Thank you, Astrid."

"There. I fixed you. Now, tell me what happened last night," she said, returning to her primary objective for her visit.

"Seriously, Astrid. Later."

Astrid's eyes flared, but then found a new focus as Harry reentered.

"Say Malfoy, I need to steal some clothes; I can't charm the stench of whiskey out…"

"Now **there's** a sight a girl could wake up to every day." Astrid's head rose from her position on the sofa with Draco to spy Harry clad in a small towel exiting the bath.

Her eyes locked with Harry's as she drawled. "Draco darling, did you know you have a rather nude Harry Potter roaming about the flat?" She spoke in a manner that left no doubt she'd spent far too much time in the company of Draco Malfoy.

"Potter, put on some clothes," Draco snapped without bothering to move from his comfortable spot.

"I'm trying!" he snapped back, still staring at Astrid, his hangover stricken mind not firing on all synapses…this extraordinarily lovely woman was so familiar.

The shower had helped Harry's hangover only minimally, as he was always rather bad at performing healing charms on himself. He usually had Hermione or Ginny around to take care of these things for him.

"That way," Draco pointed towards his bedroom, indicating he should go find something to wear.

Harry started towards the indicated direction, reluctantly breaking eye contact with Astrid.

"Wait!" Astrid cried, "What went on here last night? I must know!" Astrid stalked toward Harry. "Did you two finally bugger each other senseless and get it out of your systems?"

A hearty "Ha!" came from the sofa.

"WHAT?" reacted Harry. "BUGGER? NOBODY BUGGERED ANYBODY!"

"Don't bite Potter!" Draco chuckled. "It's what she wants. You won't win."

Astrid sent a chilling glare over her shoulder towards her brother and continued. "You know, now that I'm thinking about it…that's not a bad idea…if the two of you could work something out…you could probably get Ginny in on a threesome or something…I'm sure she'd be up for it at this point."

"THAT'S IT!" Draco was off the sofa like a rocket. "Don't be disgusting! You've gone too far, Monster! Stop!"

Astrid grinned at Harry and her huge violet eyes glowed in triumph. Harry couldn't help but grin back because he always appreciated an enraged Malfoy. Then, the uncertainty began to lift from his brain.

"Hang on… you're Astrid?" Harry asked, still confused by her identity.

"Brilliant, Potter," Draco spat as he collapsed back onto the sofa. His brief explosion had completely depleted him, and he needed to rest again.

"How do I know you?" Harry asked quietly.

"You've known her since she was eleven, you idiot," Draco supplied.

Harry shook his head. "But how do I know you?" he repeated.

Astrid smiled coquettishly, "You've seen me around. I work in the Department of Mysteries with your friend Hermione Weasley."

Harry's eyes suddenly lit up with sudden recognition and he grinned evilly. "And last summer at the summer holiday picnic, I offered to buy you a drink. You told me to shove off…you didn't want to join my fan club."

"That would be me," Astrid had the decency to grimace a bit.

"That's my girl," Draco supplied from the sofa, but neither of them heard his comment.

"I've often wondered about that… women will usually have one drink with me before they tell me to shove off. But now it makes sense, you're Malfoy's… friend."

"That, I am," she agreed.

"Potter, would you mind putting on some clothes now?" Draco snapped, pointing towards his room again.

"Right," he agreed and Harry exited to search for something suitable to wear amongst Draco's clothes.

Upon his exit Draco immediately sat up, full of energy and vigour which hadn't been displayed seconds before. Now that Astrid had so effectively rid him of his hangover, he remembered his mission for the day.

"Astrid, I need you to do something," he said waving her over.

"What's that?" she asked warily.

"Keep Potter occupied for a few hours. I need to go out for a bit."

"Oh no!"

"Astrid! Just do this for me," he pleaded.

"Why? Where are you going?"

"I have to see her…"

"Draco…"

"Don't you see… it's my last chance to make it right!"

"Draco… let her go."

"You don't understand! He's told me he's going to marry her! I've been an idiot! How many times have you told me that?"

"I can't count. But what do you think he's doing here? Why would he come here and tell you…YOU of all people that he's engaged to Ginny Weasley?"

"Because he wants to warn me off…."

"Draco, you're an idiot."

"So you've said. But it's my only chance."

"I'm afraid you've used up all your chances with Ginny. Don't you see you're playing right into his hands? He wants you to go running over there. Why else would he come here?"

Draco paused momentarily and tried to view the situation from Astrid's point of view. "What do you mean?"

"I'm saying he probably sees you as the last possible threat to him living happily-ever-after with Ginny and he needs you out of the picture once and for all."

"I don't see how my seeing her again would accomplish that."

"Don't you? You're not going to like this Draco… but I'm sure Potter has always thought your interest in Ginny was at least somewhat motivated by the fact that she was his. And there might me a little bit of doubt in Ginny's mind as well…"

"No! She knows better!"

"Does she Draco? Does she have a clue how you feel about her? The way you dumped her would leave doubt in anyone's mind! Idiot!" Astrid spat, clearly disgusted.

Draco exhaled heavily. "And if I go running over there, it'll look like I'm trying to take something away from Potter."

"Thus proving suspicions about you once and for all."

"Damn. But if I don't go, she marries him and I lose her forever."

"Draco, you lost her forever a long time ago, by your own hand. You've always said this was inevitable."

"It doesn't matter!" Draco decided. "I have to see Ginny. Do this for me?" Draco hissed, close to the end of his rope.

It wasn't easy for Astrid to see Draco in this state. She knew he was heading for even more self-inflicted heartbreak. But the truth was he rarely asked anything of her, and she would do anything for him.

Suddenly, Harry's voice emerged from the bedroom. "Is there anything in here that won't make me look like a poof?"

Astrid sighed loudly. "Well if I'm right, and he wants you to go running over there, then he'll make this easy for me, won't he?"

"Thank you! I'm going to jump in the shower… get him out of here."

"I guess I'll go and help dress the fittie in your bedroom. Any idea where I can find a Slytherin Quidditch shirt?"

"Bottom left drawer," chuckled Draco, rising slightly unsteadily as he headed towards the bath.

Harry was sitting like a lump on the edge Draco's unslept-in bed, his hips still wrapped in a too-small towel. He'd found one of Draco's plain white Oxford shirts from the cupboard, but it was far too close in the shoulders and the chest would barely button. The pain of his hang-over was apparent on his face; he looked like death.

"Doesn't your pigeon-chested boyfriend have any normal clothes?" he grumbled.

Astrid recovered a sweatshirt from the drawer which Draco had indicated, and she found a suitable pair of jeans and boxers. She placed them on the bed next to him.

"Draco's not pigeon-chested," she began quietly, "he's just lean, and he doesn't spend his days in the manly pursuit of evildoers like you."

Astrid lightly held Harry's shoulder, and he started at the sudden contact.

"Keep still, I don't bite," she whispered, and then she flicked her wand above Harry's head and muttered a charm he'd never heard before. His head immediately cleared and was followed by a burst of energy which made him feel as though he'd woken up from a full night's sleep.

"Wow, that's brilliant. Thank you. What was that?" he asked reaching for the pile of clothes next to him.

"Just something I've been working on at the office," she said, as she made herself comfortable on the bed and watched him intently.

Harry suddenly realized she had no intention of leaving the room to allow him to dress, so he took temporary refuge in Draco's private bath. "The Department of Mysteries is researching hangover cures now?" he chuckled, as he dressed.

"No, it has another purpose which I can't talk about; hangover cure is just a happy accident."

"Too bad. You could make a fortune bottling that spell, selling it to unwise wizards."

"Well yes, but there is one tiny side effect."

"How do I look?" Harry asked suddenly, with a smirk emerging from the bath.

Astrid laughed at the sight of Harry Potter with a Slytherin serpent emblazoned on his chest. "Like a proud son of Slytherin!"

"Better that than a poof, I suppose. It doesn't say 'MALFOY' on my back, does it?" he asked trying to get a look at himself in the mirror. "Hang on…did I hear something about a 'tiny little side effect'? Given your reputation, I'll admit I'm a bit concerned now."

"My reputation? I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about." She grinned widely. "I torture Draco because he deserves it most of the time. But I can be perfectly charming when I choose to be."

"I can see that," he said smoothly, leaning against the bedpost. "But…erm…what's the side effect?"

"Nothing really…you just have to eat… soon… within thirty minutes or the hangover comes back two-fold."

"That's not a problem. I'm famished."

Astrid studied Harry carefully. "I'm quite hungry, as well. Would you care to join me? There's a lovely little breakfast bistro just across the street."

Now Harry had been chasing dark wizards and uncovering plots and sub-plots far too long to be duped by an innocent invitation from a beautiful witch. His face remained neutral as his mind quickly passed through a series of states. But in the end, he could foresee no danger in letting Astrid complete her mission, as it seemed her plans didn't interfere with his at all.

"Sounds good," he said after a momentary pause, and he followed Astrid out of the bedroom.

Harry heard the sound of the running shower and just to confirm his theory, he paused before they left the flat.

"Why don't we wait until Malfoy's dressed. Maybe he'll join us?"

"Oh no, let's not bother. It'll be much more fun with just the two of us." Astrid answered smoothly, looking deeply into his eyes and flashing him a smile which stirred him far more deeply than he cared to admit.

She was good.

Harry had to continually remind himself that he was being played during the meal they shared together. He had never known two hours to pass so quickly. Strangely enough, their conversation flowed without a single mention of either Ginny or Draco. Astrid was a fascinating woman. She spent her professional career deep within the bowels of the Department of Mysteries, but she still made time to work with the Weasley twins in developing some of their most successful and gruesome products. Harry had no idea that she was still such close friends with Fred and George.

This woman was full of mysteries and inconsistencies, and Harry was pulled by a desire to learn about each of them.

Long after they'd finished their breakfast, they remained at the café sipping coffee and talking with an intimacy Harry could have sworn felt quite genuine.

But again… he had to remind himself they both had other agendas. This was just a game for both of them and he mustn't fall victim to it.

"Do you mind explaining something to me?" he asked tentatively.

"What's that?"

"We both know why we're here. I find it rather odd you're willing to cover for your boyfriend while he pursues another woman."

Astrid smiled a devious smile, of which Harry was quickly becoming rather fond. "Aaaahh, is that what you think is happening?"

"Am I wrong?" he said, matching her devious grin and leaning towards her.

"I'll explain if you explain something to me. Yes?" She quirked an eyebrow in challenge.

"What's that?"

"I agree we both know why we're here. And I find it rather odd that you're willing to while away hours and hours, and I dare say flirt a bit, while another man is pursuing your fiancée."

Harry sat back in his chair with a smirk. "Aaaahh, is that what **you** think is happening?"

"Am I wrong?" she asked, leaning towards him.

"I'll answer that…but you first," he said waving to the waiter for another pot of coffee; it didn't seem as though they'd be leaving anytime soon.

"My explanation is simple. I owe Draco everything… I love him, but he's not my boyfriend."

"I'm sorry, is 'boyfriend' too prosaic? Lover? Is that better?"

"Draco's neither… Draco's my brother." Astrid sat back and relished the array of emotion playing across Harry's face.

"In a symbolic sense, you mean?"

Astrid shook her head. "In the sense that Lucius Malfoy is my father. You're not naïve Harry. You know what goes on when Death Eaters are allowed to run freely."

"No, of course I've heard the accounts… I've just never…" The horror on Harry's face was evident.

"Met one of the products of such an evil union?"

"How long have you known?"

"Since my first year at Hogwarts, shortly before my parents were killed. Draco and Ginny have known almost that long as well. Obviously, it's not something I publicize about myself."

Harry mind was blank. "I'm sorry, I didn't know…. of course. I never imagined... Ginny knew? She's never said… no, she wouldn't, would she?"

"Not the happiest subject I'll admit… let's move on. Your turn…"

"Well, my explanation isn't nearly as dramatic. Ginny's not my fiancée.

"Pardon? Draco thinks she is."

"Nope."

"He said you told him you're going to get married."

"Oh, did he?" Harry smirked. "No, he got it wrong."

"Got what wrong? What are you up to?"

"In my drunken state I may have told him that I'd asked Ginny to marry me, but I never said she'd accepted," Harry chuckled.

Astrid furrowed her brow; what she was hearing made no sense to her.

"Pardon me for saying so, but you don't seem terribly broken-up about the prospect of losing the woman of your dreams."

"But I haven't lost her," Harry said matter-of-factly. "What Ginny and I have is-what-it-is and our connection doesn't change in relation to our status as lovers or not. It never has and it never will. That's part of our problem actually. I think Ginny finally explained how she feels in a way I can comprehend. Although I'm not sure I believe it… not entirely, anyway."

"I'd understand if you didn't want to tell me, but I'd like to know what she said."

When Harry began talking, he didn't know why he felt so comfortable speaking to this woman. Suddenly it seemed important that she understood what he told her. He had no reason to trust her with his secrets and yet he did trust her…almost. Somewhere in the depths of her beautiful eyes he felt at home.

"Ginny used puzzle pieces to explain it. Do you know how she likes puzzles?"

"Yes, I knew that."

"She showed me two puzzle pieces. It was a garden scene, and the two pieces had bits of flowers on them. They were almost identical and they fit together perfectly. She said those two pieces were her and me. We'd used that analogy for each other before, actually."

"That's sweet," Astrid commented, her Malfoy snark exposing itself the tiniest bit.

Harry chuckled. Why was he finding that a tone which was so completely offensive from her brother, utterly charming from her?

"And then," Harry continued pointedly, "she pointed to the tops of the pieces. You know the little hole, where another piece will fit."

"The void?" she asked.

"Hmm?"

"The bits of puzzle pieces that make them fit together are called nubs and voids."

Harry laughed. "How in bloody hell do you know that?"

"I read a lot," she shrugged.

"Another Hermione, lovely."

"She's a bit slow, actually."

"I'll be sure to tell her you think so," Harry laughed.

"Go on, finish your enthralling puzzle piece story, I'm on the edge of my seat."

Harry glared at her softly, and she flashed her eyes at him. He knew that she sincerely wished him to continue.

"Ginny pointed to the voids in the top of the two puzzle pieces and she said: 'See, although they belong together, both pieces are missing this little bit of sky up here. Neither of them have it, so no matter how much they want to, they can't give it to the other.'

"The logical conclusion being, she thinks my brother is her little bit of sky?" she asked in a doubtful tone that made Harry laugh again.

"I think at one time that's what she thought. But her point was there's something else out there that we don't give each other. She might have gotten a taste of it with Draco, I don't know. I've never experienced what she was talking about."

Harry took sip of his tepid coffee and wondered if it was still too early in the day to order a firewhiskey.

"Have you, Astrid? Have you ever been in love like that?"

"Definitely not," Astrid shook her head solemnly. "I know what she means though. I remember watching them when I was on holiday breaks from Hogwarts. They were so happy. Even when they were fighting they made each other laugh. I think it's because they were so different, and so they had to work hard at their connection. Maybe that's what Ginny means; the two of you have a connection that is natural to you but maybe when you choose to build and nourish that sort of bond, it must feel different."

"It must," Harry agreed.

"Harry, I'm confused. You wanted Draco to go see her. Do you want Draco and Ginny back together?"

"No. I want Ginny happy. She says she's happy, but she forgets I can feel what she feels, to some extent. She has unfinished business with him and she's not going to be able to move on until it's resolved."

"And you admit it may resolve itself by them getting back together?"

"I'd rather they didn't. I realize he means the world to you, but he causes her too much heartbreak."

"He does seem to make poor choices when it comes to Ginny," she admitted. "But he makes other that are rather fine. Did you know… when I was little, not long after my parents had died, Draco went to see his father in prison. He confronted him and told him about me and he told him he'd taken me in."

"How'd Lucius react to that?"

"Not well. He called me an abomination of nature. He told Draco I should be… purged… was how he put it. He said Malfoy blood could never be diluted and it was Draco's responsibility to ensure the line's purity." Although she usually displayed a self-assured exterior, Astrid was visibly shaken by the telling of her story. Without thinking, Harry enfolded her hand in his with a confidence that surprised and comforted both of them. She took a deep breath.

"And do you know what Draco did?" she continued.

"He obviously didn't purge you."

"No, he didn't. He walked away from his father and never went back. Draco takes family obligation and tradition very seriously, but on that day he chose me. He made me his family. And then he made it official, he drew up the papers that made me a Malfoy as though I was his full sibling. I could take the name if I wanted to, but I prefer to honour the parents that I remember and love."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you only seem capable of seeing the worst in Draco Malfoy. I think there are things in the past which you need to put behind you too. Draco's a good man, even when measured by Harry Potter standards. You need to know that."

"Maybe if I knew more about why he walked away from Ginny, I'd have a better understanding. She's never told me what really happened, you know?"

Astrid chuckled. "I don't think the details behind that would particularly endear him to you. Quite the opposite, actually."

"So **you** know? Tell me, Astrid. Please."

"Harry, it's difficult. I think he loves her so much that he can't even imagine the possibility that she loves him just as much. And that terrifies him and makes him do stupid things."

"What stupid things?"

Astrid paused and pondered her next move. She'd already said too much, and to continue even further would come dangerously close to betraying Draco's confidence. But the time had come to open up this can of worms and end the secrets. She plunged forward.

"I can tell you this…" she began "the spring when they broke-up, I was still at Hogwarts. I received an owl from Draco saying that he had to leave the country for a number of months on business and that I was to see Quiggles… er, Mr. Quigley, if I needed anything. I didn't think much of it; I was a teenager and all wrapped up in my own dramas. It wasn't until two days later when Ginny visited the school that I realized the implications of Draco's note."

"That he'd left her?" Harry asked.

Astrid nodded. "Yes. Ginny was frantic, she didn't know what had happened, but I couldn't help. I didn't know any more than she did."

"Hang on…are you saying Malfoy just disappeared? He didn't even have the decency to talk to her?"

Astrid shook her head. "From what I've gathered, he moved her to that cottage and had one of his solicitors tell her it was over."

"That vile…"

"Harry…"

"No wonder she's never talked about it!"

"Harry, don't!"

"I'll kill him!" Harry growled.

"Brilliant, Potter! Thank you! Don't you think that might be the reason Ginny couldn't confide in you? She was sick of the death threats thrown back and forth between the two people she loves the most?" Harry started to calm down at those words.

"I see your point," he sighed.

"It's time to step back and let them work it out for themselves."

"I'd have never sent him over there if I'd known it was that bad."

"Doesn't matter. You said it yourself, they have unfinished business. And Harry?"

"Hmmm?"

"You might want to think about trying to forge some sort of adult understanding with Draco… for the good of everyone."

Harry grimaced, but nodded in agreement. "Malfoy and I have never played well together. Especially when Ginny wasn't there to mediate."

Astrid giggled suddenly. "I don't know, I sort of remember one moment when you two were friendly… rather friendly, indeed."

Harry was confused for a moment and then he grinned broadly. "The prefects' bathroom?"

Astrid nodded enthusiastically.

"What a horrifying memory," Harry shuddered, "but I have to admit that was the most brilliant piece of revenge ever imagined! Ginny nearly jumped off the Astronomy Tower!"

"How did it all start?" she asked. "Draco won't talk about it. He says he was scarred enough by being naked with you in the bath; he doesn't want to relive it."

"I'm not too keen on the memory either… but… for you… I suppose it all started after Voldemort was vanquished. We returned to Hogwarts after Christmas of our seventh year, absolutely giddy. The weight of the world had been lifted from our shoulders and it was time to play.

"Somehow Malfoy and I decided it was time that Ginny pay for the Valentine's fudge from the previous year. I think it was Hermione who actually came up with the concept, believe it or not. She said something like: 'What if that fudge really did spark feelings between you two? Wouldn't that put Ginny's knickers in a twist?' And a plan was born!"

"Yes! And?" Astrid squirmed excitedly in her seat, waiting for more.

"Well the brilliance was more in the set-up. It took weeks to prime Ginny's curiosity and paranoia."

"Like what?"

"First, I started being a very bad boyfriend. I'd not show up when I'd promised. I always seemed distant and forgetful. I pretended to lose all interest in touching her. I'd fall asleep when she was talking. She wasn't at all amused! I'm lucky I wasn't chucked right then.

"The second phase involved her catching Malfoy and I gazing longing at each other from afar, whenever Ginny was there to notice it and Hermione was there to help plant the seeds of doubt.

"And then Ginny would catch us together, whispering in various dark corners of the castle. Very soon her curiosity was fully stoked and we were sure she would follow us when given the opportunity.

"The last bit was easy. Ginny caught us together in the Prefects' Bath in a very compromising position! And all hell broke loose!"

"Brilliant," Astrid laughed and sighed, "couldn't have done better myself!"

"High praise," Harry conceded. "Although I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else. We're going to have to order another meal if we sit here any longer. We've been here forever and the waiter is giving us the evil eye."

Astrid nodded. "I think we can call our missions successful, don't you?"

"Extremely. I didn't need to eat immediately after that hangover charm, did I?"

"No, you were fine," Astrid smirked.

"I'll have to keep my eye on you."

"Please do," she said, but then quickly looked away from him as she began to gather her belongings together. Harry reached into his pocket and threw down more than enough galleons to cover their meal.

Harry stood and helped her with her coat. She was tall now; her shoulders almost even with his. Her long, soft hair brushed his hands as he helped adjust her collar. Somehow his body was refusing to step away from her and his brain flailed, trying to think of an excuse to see her again. But then once again he remembered this was all just a game, he had no way to be sure what was real and what was ruse.

"Well, goodbye, Harry." Astrid smiled at him and walked away, apparently she wasn't having the same mental issues as Harry.

"Goodbye, Astrid."

Draco Apparated outside Ginny's garden gate. He hadn't seen this place in many, many months. He remembered that first time he saw this cottage, and he knew Ginny Weasley was meant to live here. Of course at the time he had planned to be here with her. Not full-time of course, but Ginny had mentioned that she didn't consider weekends at Malfoy Manor to be escaping to the country. Apparently, Draco had mused at the time, her peasant stock craved something more rustic. This lovely little cottage would suit both of their needs.

He had meant to give it to her as a gift of love, but then everything had fallen apart… insurmountable walls could no longer be ignored and the unfortunate cottage had become a gift of parting instead.

The knots in Draco's stomach reminded him that nothing had really changed. Everything he was unable to say in the past seemed to remain just as impossible.

"Woof!" The attack came from behind. Draco was snapped from his reverie as he tumbled to the ground. A huge force pushed him from behind, thus buckling his knees and forcing him to land in a lavender bed just inside Ginny's gate.

He cringed in pain as the dried remains of the summer's flowers broke on impact and the sharp straw-like reeds poked his eyes, ears and neck. His predicament was not helped by the massive grey dog which had him pinned to the ground and was currently licking the exposed side of his face.

"Faustus?" he croaked, trying to roll onto his back and sit-up, but the weight of the joyful dog prevented much movement. Despite the indignity and pain of the situation, Draco couldn't help but chuckle, for he was as happy to see Faustus as the dog was to see him. "What does your mummy feed you Faustus? You're huge!" he said, as he managed to begin to pry the dog off of him and sit up.

"Faustus! House! Now!" Both the dog and Draco started at the chill in Ginny's voice and the dog slinked away without another slurp.

Draco's first glimpse of Ginny was startling; upon first sight of him, there no sign of warmth or welcome in her eyes, nor could he read anger or pain. For Draco, Ginny's eyes had always acted as a beacon, either welcoming him in from the cold, or warning him of rough weather ahead. However today she might have been a stranger standing before him, a stranger with expressionless eyes.

Ginny gathered her bathrobe around her tightly. It was a very chilly morning, but she had run out to the garden when she heard the ruckus from Faustus. She'd thought he was trying to eat the garden gnomes again. She should have been prepared for the sight she found instead; after all she had just spent several hours discussing this exact possibility with Hermione. For a brief second she considered running into the house to dress properly, but then she resisted the urge; this was an uninvited and unwelcome guest and she owed him nothing.

"Hi," Draco said carefully as he stood, his eyes still searching for a spark of something he recognized in Ginny's face.

"You're covered in mud and you have lavender grass in your hair. You should be more careful." Ginny turned and stalked away. "You may as well come inside to clean-up."

Ginny carefully scanned her home as she re-entered. Hermione had been here less than two minutes before. Apparently, she'd read the sounds of Draco's arrival as her cue to Dissapparate… coward.

Draco hurried behind her and through the door she'd left open. Ginny pointed to a large wall mirror, but remained by the cottage door.

A _scourgify _charm made quick work of the mud on his new robe and then Draco began picking the grassy bits from his hair. Draco worked uncomfortably under Ginny's intense scrutiny; he wished he could think of something to say. There was so much he needed to say, but where to begin? All of this grooming gave him time to think.

He had almost finished putting himself right again when Ginny finally spoke first.

"I suppose I should thank you…" she began, an emotionless chill was the overriding tenor in her voice. "I've been meaning to send you a fruit basket or something."

"What? Thank me? Why?" Draco stopped his preening and turned to her.

"The Malfoy Foundation is giving five million Galleons to the hospital. Neville and I will finally be able to do the research we've always dreamed of."

"Oh… that… well, yes…" Draco had forgotten about that. He didn't allow his mind to dwell on the thought that he'd made that donation in the pathetic hope that it would force his and Ginny's worlds back onto the same plane. Faustus had nudged Draco's hand and he began to unconsciously scratch the dog's head while calculating his next move.

"I just thought I should thank you personally as the Director of the department which will benefit the most. Surely you knew?"

"Yes, of course I knew. Congratulations on your promotion. I know how important your research is to you," he said softly.

"Thank you," she said stiffly, and silence descended over them again.

Ginny stared at him blankly, as if daring him to speak, but his mind was reeling. This was his one chance; he had to make things right now or never.

Draco inhaled as if about to begin a sentence, but then stopped and said nothing. He repeated his attempt and failed again. The silence in the room was beyond uncomfortable.

"Well, thank you for stopping by, but I've only just gotten home from a long shift and I need to get some sleep," Ginny said moving toward the door and opening it for him.

"Ginny…"

"Good bye, Draco."

"Ginny…"

"Good bye, Draco," she said more firmly, only the tiniest quiver in her voice belied her steely manner.

Draco shook his head and sat in the nearest chair.

The front door of the cottage slammed shut with a force that shook the rafters and sent Faustus running from the room.

"WHAT?" Ginny exploded. "WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY SAY TO ME NOW? JUST SAY IT AND LEAVE!"

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, finally able to breath a bit easier. Ginny's explosion had reignited the fire in her eyes and finally there was something familiar about this woman.

Ginny's fury he could handle.

"YOU'RE SORRY?" She laughed. "WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU SORRY FOR, DRACO? WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN?"

"Where would you like me to begin?"

Ginny was quivering with fury, but still she paused. Here in front of her stood a man she loved beyond all reason, but who had also caused her pain beyond all reason. She wanted to cover his face with kisses. She wanted to wrap her arms around his neck. She also wanted to wrap her hands around his throat and throttle him. She wanted to slap him until the contrast of colors between his face and his hair resembled a candy cane.

But all those desires were drowned out by the desire for information. Here he was, ready to apologize and give answers. She needed those answers so she could move on with her life, and slowly her anger began to diffuse and she began to compose herself once again.

Begging for those desperately needed answers was a sign of weakness. And weakness, she knew, would only lead her straight back down the path of heartbreak. "Draco, you have 5 minutes."

"Thank you, Ginny," he breathed, seeming genuinely appreciative.

Before she realized it, she found herself sitting in a chair opposite him, her head was a muddle but the questions spilled out anyway.

"Why? What did I do? I thought we were happy… why didn't you tell me you were unhappy?"

"I was never not happy," Draco began slowly. "Just the opposite. Everything was too perfect."

"Doesn't make sense," Ginny shook her head.

"I'm afraid I don't have good reasons for my behaviour Ginny, I got scared. I never expected us to last as long as we did or to be as happy as we were. I always expected you to figure out that you didn't really belong with me and leave, but I convinced myself to take what I could get while I could. Before I knew it three years had passed and it wasn't enough anymore."

"Wasn't enough? What do you mean?"

"I wanted you to be mine, completely. I wanted forever. I wanted a family with you."

"Kicking me out and leaving the country is an odd way to express…"

"I know… I told you I didn't have good reasons."

"You were afraid?" Ginny spat. "You were afraid I might leave you so you left me first? And then you were afraid to do it yourself so you had someone I'd never laid eyes on do it for you? You're not that big a coward, are you? I don't believe it! I've seen you in battle! You've faced Voldemort, just as closely as any of us!"

"Voldemort could only kill me; it's not the same thing. I thought choosing a life without you would be less painful than having you leave me. But I was wrong. I've been living in a kind of purgatory without you."

"For someone busy worrying about your own pain, you were rather cavalier about causing pain."

"I wasn't trying to hurt you. Honestly, I wanted to make everything as easy as I could for you; I made sure the house was comfortable and that you had Dribbles and Faustus. It's stupid, I know. I guess I figured you'd be alright… you had Potter. You always had Potter."

Recognition lit-up Ginny's face. "This is about Harry, isn't it? The whole time we were together you were waiting for me to go back to Harry? Just like everyone else." She slumped back in her chair, numb. Tears brimmed her eyes. "I thought you understood. You never said anything… I thought you were the only one who understood." Draco looked at her with a puzzled expression. "I thought you knew that I loved you for you Draco Malfoy, and that love had nothing to do with Harry." Ginny nodded slightly. "You were right to leave then. You went about it wrongly, but if you didn't believe in what we had then it couldn't have lasted."

"No! I was wrong! That's my point. I forgot something..."

"What?"

"My head was so congested with my own jealousy I forgot to trust you."

"Yes, you did. And that's one of the lamest lines I've ever heard… 'I forgot to trust you.'"

"But it was only for a moment! That's all it took to put into motion events that I've regretted ever since."

"What do you mean? You couldn't have found this house in just a moment."

"No. I had already bought the house as a gift… but before I could give it to you… well, let's just say I discovered the advantage to running an empire and having a vast staff to cater to every spoiled, petulant whim. Of course, that advantage allowed me to be completely selfish and delegate the less desirable tasks to somebody else. Quigley would have nothing to do with it by the way, he would want you to know that. He very nearly left me over this; as it was he barely spoke to me for six months."

"Something must have triggered this Draco… we were perfect!"

"It was something stupid, I heard some old crones gossiping. It was an evening when I was supposed to meet you for dinner. You'd been doing something with Potter that afternoon and when I arrived at the restaurant the two of you were… doing what you do when you're together."

"Talking?" she asked dryly.

Draco nodded and smirked in spite of himself. "Talking, laughing…cosily…as though the rest of the world had disappeared. And that old soul mate aura was back at work again."

"Ahh."

"I'd become used to Potter hanging about the flat and I didn't mind so much when it was just the three of us, because you always managed to include me somehow. But like I said, I was just entering the restaurant, it was crowded and I became trapped behind these women in the doorway. They'd recognised you and were talking about the two of you. Saying how lovely you were together, and remarking on how beautiful your children would be. Things like that."

"They're just silly old women…"

"I know, but something snapped. I'd been thinking about our children so much that it broke my heart to hear people talking like that. Thinking what was mine belonged to him, especially when I'd always believed it myself."

"Why didn't you just tell me this then?"

"I couldn't bear the thought of you choosing him. I definitely couldn't hear you speak the words."

"What do you want from me now, Draco? I know what you and Harry did last night. What did he say that made you come here today?"

"It's not so much what he said. I've been trying to find a reason to see you for months."

"What did Harry say, Draco?" she repeated sternly.

"He said you were getting married," Draco admitted reluctantly.

Ginny's eyes went wide, but her expression was unreadable.

"He did? He shouldn't have said that."

"I just wanted you to know, before its too late, that nothing's changed for me."

"Draco, don't do this…" Ginny shook her head slowly.

"I need you to know that I've never stopped loving you. I've never stopped dreaming about the life we could have together."

Ginny's tears, which had been bubbling ever since Draco arrival, finally overflowed.

At the sight of her tears Draco rose and went to her. "Draco, stop!" His hand reached for her tear stained cheek. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" Ginny cried, and moved away so that a large dining table was situated between them. "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO ME?"

Draco realized this wasn't going at all well.

"This is sudden, I know," he said calmly, "and you're over-tired."

"Leave Draco!"

"I need a chance to talk to you, to explain further… after you've had a chance to absorb the situation."

"Leave Draco!"

"Next Saturday night, 7 o'clock, at The Barleymalt."

"GET OUT!' she bellowed, picking up a heavy vase from the sideboard, while searching desperately for her wand which was nowhere in sight..

"So, it's a date then," he smirked. But it was only a façade, hiding his genuine despair as he retreated swiftly from the cottage.

For some inexplicable reason Harry found himself in the Department of Mysteries at noontime on Monday. He told himself he was there to have an impromptu lunch with Hermione and he was currently grumbling his way through the labyrinth of security surrounding Hermione's workplace.

"You'll have to wait here, Mr. Potter. I'll have someone fetch Mrs. Weasley for you," said the security witch. Harry hadn't heard her, his attention drawn by a tall, very blond witch passing him in the corridor. The witch sensed that someone was staring at her back and she turned and smiled at Harry. Harry returned the smile briefly and then looked away… she wasn't anyone he knew. And then Harry grinned to himself. _It wasn't Astrid_, he thought. The snarky witch had wormed her way into his head and he was dying to see her again.

"Hmm?" he asked the security witch, who then repeated her request to have him wait.

"Yes, of course. I'll wait here," he answered distractedly. "This is a stupid idea," he grumbled to himself as he took a seat in the waiting area. "What am I doing?"

Astrid was in her small office reviewing the data from her latest round of experiments when she felt it: _he_ was in the building. It always happened like this; the presence of Harry Potter caused a wave of energy throughout the wizarding world. Witches and wizards alike whispered his name like a chant, foreshadowing his appearance, wherever he went. This fact sent her brother up the wall on a regular basis and hence Astrid had developed a potent immunity to the Harry Potter fever which gripped most young women of her age.

But something had changed.

Harry Potter was no longer an abstract icon, living on the perimeter of her existence. He was now a very real flesh and blood man, with naughty green eyes who had been plopped directly in her path and who hadn't left her thoughts for two days.

"Oh! Sod it!" she cursed, pushing her work aside and gathering up several parchments as she hurried from the room.

"Harry! What a nice surprise!" Hermione greeted her old friend with an awkward hug as she appeared through the barrier separating the Unspeakables from the rest of the Ministry of Magic.

"How are you Hermione? You're looking brilliant as always."

"Thank you, I think, for a woman who's seven months pregnant. But I hope you're not here for lunch. I'm flat out today."

"Oh, that's too bad, I was just in the neighbourhood… and all, in between catching bad guys."

"But," Hermione continued, "we must talk soon! Somebody has to tell me what's going on between you and Ginny! One minute you're engaged, the next your not… I swear I can't keep up!"

"No engagement, Hermione," he said distractedly. His attention had left his friend and had once again found a tall, blonde woman just over Hermione's shoulder.

"Mrs. Weasley, excuse me. These parchments need your approval," Astrid spoke to Hermione, but her eyes brightened and locked with Harry's.

"Thank you, Ms. Simons," Hermione quickly reviewed the contents of the parchments. "Oh my goodness Harry, I'm sorry but these need my attention right away. I'll owl you later in the week…" Hermione's head emerged from her documents, but was not so distracted she didn't notice the sight of Harry and Astrid both looking lightning struck. "I'll see you later, Harry," she said with a furrowed brow. "I definitely can't keep up," she mumbled to herself, waddling away.

"Hi Harry," Astrid finally said after several seconds of intense staring.

"Hi… erm… funny thing… I've just been turned down for lunch… apparently.

"That's too bad."

"Would you have an hour? Are you… hungry? Lunch?" Harry managed to sputter.

"I'd like that."

Silence descended over them as they walked to a nearby café popular with Ministry employees. The staff seated Harry far in the back to avoid curious eyes as he dined with a new companion.

However, the conversation today was far more difficult than on their previous meeting when they openly teased and flirted as a diversionary tactic; today they both seemed to be in a bit of a muddle and at a loss for words. But eventually, the conversation began to flow freely and again Harry was enthralled with the woman in his company.

As much as they found to talk about, it was impossible to avoid the topic which haunted them both.

"So, have you seen Ginny since our last meeting?" Astrid asked curiously.

"Oh yes." Harry grimaced. "She's not at all pleased with me at the moment. After I left you on Saturday, I stopped by her cottage to see that she was alright. I didn't get much information out of her. I was too busy dodging flying objects and hexes. I don't think it went very well for your brother either."

"No, I'd say you're correct there."

"You saw him?"

"Yes, of course. You're right, it didn't go well…"

"What did he expect? Did he think she'd fall into his arms?"

"I don't know what he was thinking. But I had to tell him…"

"Tell him what?"

"I told him that you and Ginny aren't really engaged."

"Oh, I'm surprised Ginny didn't tell him that."

"From what I gathered Ginny didn't say much. He was practically despondent when I found him. He said it was hopeless, and that he'd lost her forever. I couldn't stand to see him like that, so I told him."

Just then their meal arrived then and the conversation shifted toward lighter fare.

Far too soon they found themselves walking back to the Ministry.

"I have a confession to make," Harry admitted.

"What's that?" Astrid asked with interest.

"I came to the Ministry today hoping to see you again."

"Really? Another mission? Was it successful?"

Harry shrugged. "Not done yet. I need more time."

"Well, maybe I can help. What's the mission?"

"I enjoyed I our time together on Saturday and today. I'm trying to determine how much was real and how much was diversion."

"Oh, that is a dilemma," she admitted with a smirk. "How will you resolve it?"

"I think we need to go to out this Saturday and do further research."

"That sounds wise. I think I could be recruited for that."

Harry grinned widely. "Good, 'til Saturday then." Harry had walked her as far as he was allowed and so he turned to leave.

"But Harry…" Astrid called him back.

"Hmm?"

"Saturday's five days away… seems like an awful waste of valuable research time."

"What are you suggesting?" he asked, his eyes sparkling in a way that would turn any girl's knees to mud.

"I have to eat lunch tomorrow, don't you?"

"Indeed I do. 'Til tomorrow then."

Soon tongues throughout the Ministry of magic were wagging from both ends. Much to Astrid's amusement, she was receiving death glares from witches she'd never laid eyes on before, and all because of a few lunch dates with the oh-so-eligible Mr. Potter!

One lunch had turned into two, then three, and then somehow it was just assumed.

For Astrid's part she felt eerily happy. She'd learned at a young age that boys found her physically attractive, and she'd learned to use her rather intimidating intellect and sometimes prickly personality to send most of them running for cover. But a select few had penetrated her formidable defences; these boys were usually self-assured, independent types who never bothered to follow the crowd. But even with these boys there was invariably something missing and she always suspected they were a little afraid of her.

But from Astrid's initial conversations with Harry she was having a very difficult time finding anything missing about him. Well, he **was** a bit old, but he was so hot one could forgive that. And Harry Potter was most definitely not afraid of her, not in the slightest! What was even better… Harry thought she was funny! The only boy who ever thought she was funny was Draco, but he didn't count. Well no, there were the Weasley twins too… but they were positively ancient!

Astrid's growing interest in Harry seemed to be fully reciprocated. As the weekday lunches flew by, he'd progressed from sitting opposite her, to sitting across a corner from her, and now, on Friday he had requested the far corner booth and was sitting next to her. The occasional contact of their thighs caused a delicious distraction for both of them.

Although their meal had long since finished, Astrid was currently prolonging it by keeping Harry both amused and horrified. She'd been causing minor disasters at neighbouring tables for Harry's amusement. But when she began causing a man's toupee to twitch and spasm on his head Harry was forced to intervene.

"Astrid, no!" Harry whispered, trying to suppress his chuckles.

"Oh! But I don't like him! He's a prize twit!"

"Astrid!" Harry gasped, while trying to get a better look at the man. "Oh Bloody hell! That's the Minister of Magic! Astrid… NO!"

Harry reached under the table and tried to wrest the wand from Astrid's hand. Astrid resisted this manoeuvre, as no one **ever** touched her wand. However, as they continued to wrestle under the table, Astrid finally quieted Harry's fighting by holding his hand against her thigh. Suddenly Harry relaxed and seemed to forget his mission of gaining control of the wand.

"Really, Harry," she began quietly, in a sultry voice which drew Harry even closer to her, "you're ruining a golden opportunity for me. I'm sitting at a table with Harry Potter… no one would suspect me. I've never had a better cover in my life."

Harry didn't hear a word she said; he was too busy watching the movement of her full lips and wondering how they tasted. His finger began to make little circles on the delicate fabric covering Astrid's thigh, until her hand covered it and stopped its movement, while she suppressed a sigh. Astrid could feel Harry's warm breath on her temple as he imperceptibly moved closer. She closed her eyes and her pink tongue flicked over her lips.

"Pardon me, is there anything else I can get you today?" The waiter's words came as a bucket of iced water over the table and they both withdrew with a start.

"We should go," Harry admitted reluctantly and accepted the bill.

"It's past time for me to get back as well," Astrid agreed.

Their Friday lunch ended with high expectations for the success of their Saturday evening date.

However it was not to be, for on Saturday as they were happily walking toward the theatre they were planning to attend, they passed The Barleymalt and through the large window Astrid spied Draco, alone at a table.

"Hang on, Harry," she paused, squeezing his hand to slow him down.

"Did you want a drink or something?" he asked, peering into the pub.

"No look, it's Draco. He's all alone. He was hoping to meet Ginny here tonight. She should've been here an hour ago."

"I was wondering if she'd come. I'm not surprised she didn't." Harry watched Malfoy sitting miserably at the table, with a bottle of wine in front of him along with two glasses, one full and one empty. In his excitement about his own date he'd completely forgotten about Ginny's.

Harry imagined Ginny sitting alone in her cottage in much the same shape as Draco.

"Harry, I can't just leave him like that," Astrid admitted quietly, the disappointment evident in her eyes.

Harry nodded. "I should probably check on Ginny as well."

"We'll do this another time?" Astrid asked backing away toward the restaurant.

"Of course, I'll owl you tomorrow."

Harry watched Astrid for a moment through the glass. It took Draco a few seconds to realize she was there, but once he did a relieved smile bloomed over her face and he stood and enfolded her in his arms, giving her a warm kiss. The love and intimacy between the siblings was evident as Astrid sat close to him and they buried their heads together in conversation.

Harry felt a twinge in his heart which surprised him. "I'll be damned," he muttered to himself before Apparating to Ginny's cottage.

As he suspected Ginny was alone in her cottage, staring into the fire.

"Room for one more?" he asked.

Ginny's focus shifted to Harry slowly, but then gave him a wan smile and shifted in her chair, making room for him. They were soon in a position they'd been in one thousand times before with Ginny on Harry's lap, her head resting on his shoulder and his arms wrapped tightly around her.

Ginny relaxed against him, feeling the relief of being close to Harry. On the other hand, Harry had to grit his teeth as Ginny settled in. He could feel the pain and conflict within her; it was unlike anything he'd ever felt in her before. He felt guilty because he was the one who'd instigated the events which stirred up this pain in his friend.

"I happened to see Malfoy, pouting alone in a pub before I came here. Why didn't you go?"

"Shhh… don't… let's talk about something else. What's new with you? We didn't get a chance to chat last time I saw you."

"That's because you were trying to kill me, my friend," he chuckled, planting a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Mmm, I'm still pissed off with you, by the way. Just don't have the energy to kill you," she said as she snuggled her nose into his neck. "So tell me… what's new? Help me return to the land of the living."

"I met a girl… well no, I didn't **meet**… I always knew the girl… I just hadn't seen her recently…" Harry stammered.

"Is this some sort of puzzle?" Ginny giggled.

"She grew up… I met a woman."

Ginny smiled, "You meet woman everyday Harry. Are you saying you met someone special?"

"I think so… very special."

"Harry! You're glowing. Anyone I know?"

"Astrid," Harry sighed dreamily, but then he pictured the scathing glare Astrid would give such a burst of sentimentality, and he chuckled.

"Simons?" Ginny asked, suddenly sitting up straight. "Draco's Astrid?"

"The very same… and thanks for never telling me she was the git's sister! You just let me think Malfoy was a perv all these years."

Ginny giggled. "It wasn't my secret to tell. And Draco thought it was funny. But don't stop there! Details please!"

Harry shrugged, "Nothing to tell really, just a few lunches… but she's… I don't know… we'll see."

Ginny was staring at Harry, her eyes softly glowing as though she had a secret.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Nothing Harry, nothing at all," she said nestling back into his neck. "You said you saw Draco? Why where you in that part of London?"

"I was going to the theatre with Astrid, our first real date. She didn't want to leave Draco alone."

"Oh Harry, I'm sorry!"

"But something strange happened to me just then."

"What?"

"Well, I stood there for a minute or two and watched her greet Draco and I watched them settled down into immediate intimacy… and I was jealous."

"What do you mean Harry? He's her brother…"

"I know, but still, I want that kind of easy intimacy with her and it hasn't been a week since I've discovered her. I couldn't help but imagine what Draco feels when he watches us, it can't be easy."

"What are you saying?"

"Just making an observation."

"Harry, don't…"

"Don't what?"

"Don't assume you know what I want. I don't even know."

Their quiet conversation lasted late in to the night. So late, in fact that Harry spent the night, but for the first time in a long time Harry slept in the guest bedroom. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

The next morning Harry was dressed and preparing to leave Ginny's cottage when Faustus began whining, sniffing the air and scratching at the door.

"Want out, Boy?" Harry opened the door to release the dog, only to find that Faustus didn't want out; he wanted the person standing reluctantly on the other side of the door.

"Malfoy," Harry nodded, stepping back and allowing Draco to enter the cottage.

"Potter," he returned the greeting coolly as he entered.

"Nothing happened here last night," Harry heard himself saying, and the surprise on his face matched that on Draco's.

"Since when do you start explaining you and the Weaslette to me?" Draco smirked.

It was a valid question and Harry racked his brain to find an answer. Again the answer surprised both of them just as much as the question.

"I… I just don't want you running and telling tales to your sister," Harry answered with a challenge in his voice.

"Is that all?" Draco chuckled apathetically. "Where's Ginny?"

"She's in the bath. Don't you care?"

"'bout what? I'll wait," he said removing his jacket and helping himself to the breakfast tray Ginny had prepared earlier.

"Don't you care that I'm pulling your sister?"

Draco chuckled and sipped his tea; his calm was exceedingly disquieting to Harry.

"Pulling my sister…" he repeated to himself, mostly because he enjoyed the phrase. "I suppose I should be upset, shouldn't I? Considering that up until recently I was under the impression that you were engaged to Ginny."

"Really? Who told you that?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Draco ignored him and continued on his train of thought. "Astrid's informed me otherwise. She's also mentioned the two of you had been spending time together. Quite disturbing, really," he chuckled.

"Well, now that we've got that cleared-up, I'm off. I just remembered something I need to tell Astrid," Harry said as he prepared to leave.

"Potter, let's get one thing straight. If anyone does any 'pulling' it's going to be her. Never fool yourself that you're in control with that one. And I must say… I'm looking forward to the inevitable day when you piss her off! She has hexes that make Ginny's Bat-Bogey feel like a tickle-fight."

Harry's face lit-up and he grinned widely. "I look forward to that too. I like challenging women. That's one thing we've always had in common, Malfoy."

Harry Apparated into the Wizards-only lobby of the building where Astrid lived; it was another Malfoy-owned property not far from Draco's flat. Astrid loved her brother, but she also liked her own space.

He hadn't quite clarified in his own mind why he was there. But that didn't stop him from finding her door and knocking.

Harry's heart skipped a beat when the door opened. There she stood with a freshly scrubbed face and a long, loose braid falling down her back, wearing comfortable Sunday morning clothes and stocking feet. And yet, Harry thought, she wouldn't have seemed out of place in a palace.

"Harry…this is a surprise. I was expecting an owl later… but please, come in."

"Hi," he said suddenly tongue-tied.

Astrid gave Harry a puzzled smile. "Is everything alright? I'm sorry things didn't work out last night. Is Ginny alright?"

"I didn't come to talk about them," Harry blurted suddenly. The words were falling out of his mouth, and he wasn't sure what was coming next and yet they all seemed so right.

Astrid's eye widened at the intensity in Harry's voice and she quirked an eyebrow quizzically.

"I realized something last night… we're making a mistake," Harry continued.

Astrid's face fell with concern. "We? We are? But we haven't done anything."

Harry stepped very close to her and took her hands.

"Exactly. We meant to spend Saturday evening together, but instead we went running to Ginny and Draco. **They** need to work this out for themselves, and there's really nothing we can do for them, is there?"

Astrid shook her head, and as Harry continued, he stepped even closer to her, encouraging her hands around his waist while his finger traced the hollow of her cheek.

"I comforted Ginny as best I could, but the entire time my mind kept wandering right back to you."

"It did?" She tried to quell the quiver in her voice, urged on by a somersault in her stomach. Her eyes were almost on level with his; she barely needed to tilt her head upward to allow her nose to lightly caress his.

"So we were wrong… we should have gone on our date. Don't you see? If we're not careful we'll end up torturing each other, just like they torture each other."

"Harry, aren't you jumping in a bit quick? Talking about us having a relationship before you've even kissed m…"

Harry's lips captured hers with a delicate passion that made Astrid whimper involuntarily.

One doesn't get to be a beautiful twenty-year-old witch without kissing a modest number of boys, but this was the first time Astrid was positive she was kissing a man, one who clearly meant business.

As Harry deepened the kiss, Astrid melted against him, until she was barely supporting her own weight. Harry pulled away suddenly with a look of concern bordering on panic etching his face.

"Please… tell me you're feeling this too," he pleaded.

"Just keep kissing me, Potter," Astrid chuckled as she tugged Harry closer and kissed him again.

Meanwhile in the country, Ginny exited her bath and called to Harry as she passed to her bedroom to dress.

"You'd better have saved one of those scones for me, Harry. I'm starving."

However, the voice that answered from the living room didn't belong to Harry.

"I don't want to distress you, but you've had an upgrade in companionship recently," the voice drawled.

Ginny's stomach fell through the floor. She paused, rubbed her forehead and then calmly finished dressing before entering the living room.

"Why are you here, Draco?" she asked quietly, more than a little annoyed at how perfect he looked sitting in her living room, tea tray at his side and the dog sleeping at his feet, with his head resting on Draco's foot. .

"I was concerned; you didn't keep our date last night," he answered calmly, handing her a plated scone and a cup of tea fixed precisely how she liked it, very hot with more milk than tea.

"We didn't have a date last night, Draco. I don't respond to commandments. And I was hoping you'd take my absence as the answer to whatever questions you were planning to ask."

"I see."

Ginny sat and ate her breakfast while waiting for Draco's next move, but she didn't expect the hitch in Draco's breathing.

"I've mucked this up thoroughly, haven't I?"

Ginny's glare answered his question more completely than words ever could. "Where's Harry? Was he here when you arrived?"

"Yes. He's gone off to befoul my sister. Do you believe that? If that relationship blossoms, I'm going to need an _Avada Kedavra_ right between the eyes."

"I'll arrange that for you. Gladly," Ginny responded smoothly, a grin spreading across her face for the first time. "Actually, I have a good feeling about them. I'm surprised I didn't think of the match myself."

"Are you daft? He's completely wrong for her!"

Ginny chuckled. "Determining who's right for whom, isn't your strong suit Draco."

Draco looked at her in a longing way that Ginny found hard to ignore, but ignore it she did.

"Part of me is ecstatic, sitting here talking to you calmly and civilly," Draco said after a long silence "But I'd almost prefer that you'd curse me and throw me out."

"Why's that?"

"I'd at least know you had feelings for me. Seeing you like this just makes it all feel completely hopeless."

Ginny screwed down to lid on the emotions which were roiling just below her calm façade.

"What do you expect from me Draco? I gave you everything I had to give once before and you threw it away. You broke my heart. It won't happen again, I won't let it."

"You know, I didn't really believe you'd meet me last night. But when Astrid told me you and Potter weren't engaged, I was so relieved. And I had a small glimmer of hope you might meet me after all," Draco said this more to his fingers folded before him, but now he looked up at Ginny. "But then you didn't show up and I finally realized it's not about Potter. It never was."

"Just worked that out, did you? I told you that last week," said Ginny, with a touch of bitterness in her voice.

"I know. Let me get this out. When you gave yourself to me, you… you… you gave as much as I could've ever asked of anyone. I've gotten a lot of things wrong Ginny, and I'm only now beginning to see how very wrong I've been.

"Here I am, watching Astrid forming an attachment to Potter. She has full knowledge of the history there, but she's willing to go in with an open heart and trust that she won't get hurt.

"That's what I never could do, I always expected to get hurt and so I made it happen.

For the first time I've realized the magnitude of what I did to you. I betrayed you… I was only thinking of myself… and I'm so sorry for that."

"That's nice to hear, but a bit late."

"Ginny… what we had was real… it's not something either of us can walk away from without regretting it every day of our lives."

Ginny shook her head, only one tear escaping down her cheek. "I just don't trust you, Draco. We can't go back."

**Authors Notes:**

Okay, fire away…I know I'm in for it from both sides…just remember, we're not done yet.

Once again thank you many times over to Jocjarmom who keeps the fire lit under my arse.

There's one more chapter and then the Epilogue.


End file.
